The Girl Who Lived and Loved
by Rose. L. Potter
Summary: They always do say the first year is the hardest. When Rose Potter arrives at Hogwarts all she wants to do is to make friends, pass her classes, and make her parents proud. Now throw in a Philosophers stone and a three headed dog guarding it. What a year. Rose wanted to be the greatest and the great belong in Slytherin. But is that really where she belongs? Lets find out. GirlHarry
1. Chapter 1

**_A giant thanks to my BETA to whatisthisnonsense who has taken her time to help me improve this fic with every new chapter, beta-ed chapter replacement that I will put up. It will be thanks to her that I believe this story shall prosper and be approved by readers who enjoy the experience of reading it. _**

**_Please enjoy_**

**The Vanishing Glass At The Zoo**

Rose Lily Potter groaned grouchily as her aunt Petunia banged on the door of her cupboard under the stairs, ordering her to be up and about to help with the breakfast. For a moment she wondered why she still seemed unable to entirely hate her aunt. Dudley, was perhaps closer to hitting that mark. Her uncle Vernon was already at the top of her 'most disliked people' list. She just didn't know where she stood with her aunt, as the woman was often just as cruel as and heartless as her husband and son, yet at other times could almost be described as kind. On the whole, her aunt wasn't all that bad, if for the occasional times she could suddenly reveal herself to be as cruel.

Being the sweet and obedient servant girl-niece she had to play-act as, she didn't dare to complain aloud as she tossed and turned on top of the thin folded sheets that made up the cushioning of her 'bed' before throwing her itchy blanket off and sitting upright. Yawning loudly, she reached for her glasses on the shelf near her head, her fingers brushing and skimming over until she found them and slipped them on while brushing a tangle of her dark red hair from her face.

Soon, she heard the elephant-like stomping of Dudley running down the stairs above her, chanting happily about it being his birthday and calling out for his mother excitably. But when she didn't hear him run past her cupboard she knew exactly what would happen next and curled herself up so that her head was between her legs and arms were over her head. Just as she predicted and expected her cousin would, the chubby boy stopped right above where she slept and started to jump up and down, causing all of the dust and dirt collected in the boards above her to drift over her in a thin layer.

"Get up, Potty, we're going to the zoo today; the _zoo_!" he shouted, jumping twice more for good measure. Once she was sure he was finished, she straightened herself up and glared at the underside of the stairs before (he started to brush off the dust that had been sprinkled on the top of her head.

Once she was done cleaning herself off, she went to open the door of the cupboard and began to crawl out, only for Dudley to stop by and bully her by pushing her back into the cupboard and kicking the door shut as he past her before running through into the kitchen.

Getting herself together, she got up, not letting it bother her, although she had hit her head when Dudley pushed her back in her cupboard so roughly. Ignoring the dull pain at the back of her small, ten year old skull, Rose took a deep breath and stepped back outside of her little living space.

Once she was in the kitchen, she was greeted by her aunt's scowl as she was ordered to check on the bacon.

"And don't you dare burn any of it! I want everything to be absolutely perfect for my Dudley-kins on his special day!" Petunia cooed her last sentence as she went over to Dudley, covering his eyes cutely as she lead him over towards the living room like the over-affectionate mother she was where all his birthday presents were waiting for him.

"What's taking you so long, you stupid girl? Hurry up now, I want my breakfast!" grunted Uncle Vernon.

Rose did all she could not to roll her eyes at the fat man's orders and complaints, and instead replied back with the manners she'd been taught to use when addressing the family.

"Yes, Uncle Vernon, cried Rose putting the bacon on the plate and placing it in front of her uncle on the table. She went to pour the tea and coffee for him as well, and as she did that Dudley tried and failed to count his many presents before asking his father how many there were.

Thirty-six presents, thought Rose, and the piglet boy actually had the nerve to have a fit when she didn't get even a single present on her birthday; not one. And yet here her cousin was saying how he'd had thirty-seven gifts last year and this year he wanted more, whilst his father tried to explained that some of the presents were much bigger and expensive than last years whilst his parents tried to explain that some of the presents were much bigger than last years, and reminded him of Aunt Marge's present; hidden beneath a rather large one. Rose was in the middle of thinking what a horrible woman Aunt Marge was, whilst Dudley just wasn't having any of it; it just wasn't enough for him, and being the good mother Petunia was, she made a deal with her son; telling him they would buy him two more new presents when they went out later that day.

"Then that would mean that I would have ... have..." Dudley seemed stuck, unable to even add two to thirty-six, but Rose knew better than to say anything out loud. _He'll have thirty-nine presents by the end of the day_, she thought, bitterly. He really was the most stupid boy whom had ever lived, with nothing bright about him at all.

"Thirty-nine, sweet-ums, you would have _thirty-nine_ presents," Petunia said, helping her son and smiling when she saw his face brighten and he jumped around the place in excitement.

This time, Rose _did_ roll her eyes.

"Well, what are you waiting for? My Dudley-kins is all ready for the zoo! Go on now, get changed and hurry up about it so that we can go!"

Riling from getting scolded, Rose made no hurry in getting back to her cupboard to change into one of just three outfits she owned. The three outfits consisted of some pajamas, casual wear and formal wear for when important people came over and she had to make an appearance, all of them hand-me-downs of Petunia's from when she was a girl. All of them were either to big or too small and all were terribly itchy. Struggling in her tiny cupboard to get changed, she managed to worm her arms through the holes of her wrinkled and stained blouse. Next to put on was her terribly itchy and tattered cardigan. It was her bottoms that were the real problem and more than once found herself bumping her head around the cupboard. Who knew putting on a skirt that had to be held up with a belt could be so difficult? At least her socks and shoes weren't as much of a task to put on.

"Are you done yet, girl?" Petunia slammed her palm on the door, just as impatient as her son and husband.

Rushing with her hair, Rose quickly brushed through it with her fingers, struggling with a few knots before she decided it was good enough. Should her aunt and uncle ever allow her hair to grow past her shoulders, even _she_ could admit that she looked awfully pretty, but right now it was kept shoulder length.

Whenever her Uncle Vernon would get fed up of seeing her unruly hair, (which was actually their fault as they had never given her a hairbrush) after it would grow out past the length it was now he would have it chopped off. Her Aunt was usually the one to do the job since they didn't have to spend a penny on it, but at least her aunt didn't make her look like a boy by trying to cut off as much as possible without a thought about the style.

Rose actually didn't mind having short hair, though she would have preferred it to be long. Her last haircut had been by the barber but for once he hadn't cut her hair as short, where it would be cut until it was barely three inches in length. When that happened, her hair would suddenly grow back by the next day, and then her Aunt would cut it again, this time to a decent length and the style would remain intact.

Taking what little hair she had Rose pulled her hair back into a ponytail at the nape of her neck and tied it with string. With everything finally done Rose found her uncle, aunt and cousin nowhere to be seen as she stepped out of her cupboard. Running to the door she opened it and exited the house to find them already in the car, the three of them giving her stern looks.

"Now you listen here, girl. I want no funny business while we're out, do you understand? You'll behave yourself or you'll get no food for the next week and we'll leave you to rot in that cupboard until Christmas," Vernon warned her, coming from where he had stood next to the car, leaning far too close for comfort.

As he cornered her against the wall She nodded her head in nervous understanding, trying to end the little talk so that he would hopefully move away from her and she would no longer have to smell his horrible breath or have him spit on her as he talked.

It seemed to be enough for him at the moment as he leaned back from her and stood up straight before motioning her to the car so he could lock up the house behind them.

The car ride in the backseat with Dudley was horrible as they made their way to the zoo, with him bouncing in his seat, and nudging and pushing her into the window and door. But he never went any further then pushing, as he had been taught not to hit girls, so he found other ways to physically abuse her. But since she had grown up with it, Rose was tougher than her small body would suggest.

Rose would have put up more of a fight if it weren't for Dudley's parents in the front, both of whom were ready to catch her and add another thing to the list of things they felt were wrong with her. So instead, she kept quiet and was more than grateful when they finally got to the zoo.

'_Definitely going to get a bruise' _Rose thought as she rubbed her arm where Dudley kept shoving her, wincing a bit as she followed the Dursley's into the building.

After having wandered around looking at all the different animals and attractions, they made it inside to the reptile exhibit where they now stood in front of the glass barrier between them and a peacefully sleeping python snake on the other side, That is, _peacefully_ sleeping until Dudley got bored with waiting for it to move when it clearly had no plans to do so.

"Come on, move !" Next to her, Dudley yelled at the snake, Petunia coming up behind him and her uncle at his other side. Her cousin's face was nothing but bored and angry as he glared at the snake, demanding it again to move until finally he turned to his father to do something.

'_Why cant he just leave the poor thing alone?' _were Rose's thoughts as she looked at the snake and then to the Dursley's.

"Daddy, make it move," Dudley asked or ordered his father, turning to look back at the snake as Vernon knocked his knuckles against the glass, demanding it to move and entertain his son. When that didn't work Dudley tried it himself, banging against the glass much harder and making it shake as he started yelling louder, his obnoxious voice ringing in Rose's ears and she saw even Vernon was taken aback by how loud his son was.

"It's sleeping, leave it alone," she snapped, turning to her cousin defiantly, but she wasn't even spared a glance as the snake was deemed boring by Dudley and he turned away from the creature to (go and) look at the lizards across from them whilst Vernon and Petunia left them for a moment to look around themselves.

"Sorry about that, my cousin can be a real prat sometimes," she apologized for her cousin to the snake with sincerity, leaning closer to the glass as she watched with interest (when) the snake seemed to rouse from its nap.

_'Did it just wink at me?' _

She didn't know snakes _could_ wink. Wait, did that mean...?

"Can you understand me?" she asked it, watching as the snake lifted its head and nodded at her. Looking around to see if anyone else was witnessing this, Rose leaned in even closer until it seemed she would be pressing her forehead right against the glass.

"Wow, I've never talked to a snake before! Though I always felt that animals could understand more than people say but…," she said to it, watching the reptile with curiosity and interest as it watched her with the same curiosity as hers.

"I don't suppose you talk to people often, do you?" she asked another question, simply curious as she stared at the snake, and watched it move its head from side to side in answer to her question. She paused for a moment, before deciding what she would say next.

"So you are, from Brazil?" she said, looking down at the bronze plate screwed to the bars in front of the snake's tank. "Was it nice there? I bet you miss your family."

Looking up from the plate she watched as the snake motioned its head over to a sign inside the tank and at the bottom in big black letters it said "Raised in captivity" and she could empathize with this creature.

"Same with me, I never knew my parents either though I wish I could remember them," her voice was sad, matching the expression on her face before she was suddenly pushed away from the glass and onto the floor where she scraped her knee.

"Ouch!" she whined, seeing her bleeding knee then glaring up at Dudley as he shouted for his mother and father to come see what the snake was doing. She couldn't help it, she was just so mad. He hadn't needed to push her so hard that she fell over, and now he was sticking his ugly face to the glass, his chubby hands leaving prints and smears as he watched the snake with wonder while she was left, ignored on the floor. And then the glass was gone, completely disappeared as Dudley's fat ass fell over the bars and into the snake tank where he landed in the water.

When he resurfaced in a sputtering mess he began to tremble and shake, not from the water but from fear as the snake stared at him dead in the eyes before slithering its way out of the tank. All the while Rose watched with in shock, trying to make head or tails out of what just happened, and then the snake came to a stop in front of her and for a few seconds they just looked at each other. Before long, the snake spoke.

"_Thanks," _it hissed appreciatively as it gazed at her, almost smiling at her.

"A-anytime," she stuttered with a smile, though she felt a bit uneasy, and the snake began to slither away and past her while scaring the zoo's visitors as it's made it's escape. Still sitting on the ground, her attention was brought back to her family when Dudley started to scream as he tried to get out of the tank – only to find that the glass had reappeared. Drawn back to where she had left her son and unwanted niece, Petunia was the first to reach the tank and see her precious son trapped within it. With fear for her child she pressed her palms against the glass, crying out in horror and looking very near tears.

Rose couldn't help but laugh and giggle lightly. After all, Dudley deserved what he had got, but she immediately went quiet when Vernon turned to her, staring coldly down at her. She gulped, knowing that look could only mean bad things for her. And she realized that laughing had been a very big mistake on her part.

When they returned to the Dursley's home, Petunia and Dudley were the first inside followed by Vernon and Rose. Grabbing a fist full of her pretty red locks, Vernon tugged harshly, forcing her to look at him.

"What did you do?" he screamed at her, tugging again on her hair and making her give a small yelp of pain as she lifted herself on her tiptoes to try and lesson the strain on her scalp.

"I didn't do anything, I swear!" she cried out, pleading with him to let go of her and believe her, but he was having none of it as he yanked again.

"Liar!" he called her, not believing her at all like she wanted.

_'This isn't fair at all,_' she thought as she winced again from the abuse on her hair and head, not caring at all about the mess of her hair he was making but about the sore and stinging pain of her scalp from the abuse it was presently suffering.

She was supposed to be submissive and just take it, and she usually was very timid but there was a feeling stirring inside of her, something that told her to stop letting it all happen and _do_ something. So kicking and screaming she tried her best to escape. Something inside her, something that had been telling her she didn't deserve this – any of it, was surfacing.

"Let me go you big, fat monster, let me go I told you already I didn't do it!" Biting her own lip in frustration, Rose wiggled about, lifting herself higher on her toes and scratching at his elephant size arm.

He was getting close to ripping her hair out as she tried to kick at his knees and shins, getting him good once before he purposefully banged her head against the wall.

"You rotten little bitch!" he swore at her, doing so now that Petunia was not in the room. Swearing and cursing was something Petunia was never very fond of to a high degree, and even if it were at Rose she would still scold her husband and child.

"Not only are you a filthy and ungrateful bastard child, but you are also a liar!"

Rose screamed as she felt what must have been a good chunk of hair rip from her scalp as he practically held her off the floor, shaking her like a rag doll. Tears spilled from her eyes from the terrible burning pain, and she believed herself to be lucky that he hadn't beaten her for kicking him and talking back.

"I'm not lying, one minute the glass was there and then it was gone. It was like magic!" she told him, but for some reason her words only seemed to make him angrier as he tightened his grip on her hair. That's when Petunia decided to step in after warming Dudley up.

"Vernon, that's enough. I think she's starting to bleed on the walls, you're hurting her too much," she told her husband, taking pity on her niece as she looked upon the girls tear stained face from the doorway of the kitchen with worry, though not daring to move any closer to the scene.

Not making any sign that he had heard his wife, the fat man began to unlock the cupboard that Rose slept in.

"You should be grateful to Petunia this time, Potter," he told her before opening the door and shoving her inside, locking(it as he slammed it back shut. Opening the little vent her spoke right into, practically spitting the words out with venom and disgust:

"And, there. Is. No. Such. Thing. As magic!" And with that he stormed off, brushing past his wife and into the sitting room to sulk in front of the fire. Rose knew that he had always found it hard to understand why Petunia, if rarely, defended her.

Trying not to cry and failing miserably, Rose began to sob from the abuse she had just suffered, barely hearing her aunt's apology.

Alone in her little cupboard, sniffling as she nursed her injured head, feeling the sticky blood at the roots of where he had pulled her hair from her head, which was now even starting to run down her neck. Tearing the rest of her hair out from it's now messy hold from it's string, with great pain, she brought her hands back to lay on her lap. Blood coated most of her fingers and hands, some dry already and some of it still wet and drippy down her fingers.

"I hate this," she said to herself as she kicked the shelf across her. This caused her to knock down the small things from it, mostly tiny broken toys and a small box that was from her parents that she could never seem to open before.

And then something amazing happened. ";" Before the box could even touch the dirty floor it began to float until it was right in front of her face. Startled, Rose jumped back which in the tiny space around her was nearly impossible, and she hit her head again right on a sore spot causing her to give a good yelp of pain and a few more tears escaped from the worsening of her already bad injury. Looking back up, she took off her glasses – she really only needed them for distance - and stared with frightened curiosity at the box. She knew it had to be her mother's as she was sure her father wouldn't have had a pink box with flowers, butterflies and rainbows painted on it, and if he had she was rather worried as to what could be inside. But she knew it was her mother's, because her Aunt Petunia told her so, and she was more than a little excited. But she had never been able to open it. It wasn't a jewelry box but more like a painted-over shoebox, with no lock to keep it closed or any such thing to keep someone from opening it unless the lid had been glued down.

Looking down at her hands, Rose wiped the blood off on her blankets as she didn't want to get blood on the box. Once she had cleaned her hands off enough she moved to take the box from the air into her arms. With one hand hovering at both sides she readied to pluck it from the air when a pop was heard and the lid came off, floating just above the box as a gust of shimmering light green air; like the color of a leaf on a branch when the sun light shines through it, blew out from it, brushing her cheeks and drying her tears and feeling so incredibly warm that she couldn't help but close her eyes. When the feeling was gone she opened her eyes to see lilies drawn in shimmering white light floating all around her, swirling like they were dancing and all of a sudden she felt that warmth again and the box, all except the top which still hovered in the air, before finally dropping into her lap.

Taking a deep breath Rose watched as something square floated out from inside the box, swirling until the front was facing her. It was a picture, of her as a baby, sitting in a person's lap and smiling with her arms extended out towards the camera, but the picture was _moving_, the baby's fingers flexing and little arms waving about in front of her as she smiled and bounced in the lap of the person holding her.

The baby Rose was wearing a purple dress, little white socks, and matching purple shoes that shined. Some of her little red wisps of hair were tied atop her head in a little green bow. You couldn't see the person's face, but from the big hands around her and the pant-clad legs she figured that it had to have been her father holding her, and her mother behind the camera that she was reaching for.

With shaky hands she took the picture of herself from the air and just held it to her heart for a while, trying not to cry. The flowers were still floating around her, swishing and making shapes as if they were trying to distract her from the sad thoughts the picture brought with it. Looking up again, she saw a pressed lily that must have been in the box floating above it and she smiled a little at the pretty flower and all the others, though it didn't stay there long and soon dropped back into the box. This time it seemed it was up to her to see what was left in the box. Putting the picture back she looked inside. There were some more photos of when her mother was younger, some even had whom Rose guessed was her aunt in them – actually looking _happy_ in a few, but most of them were of Lily and a dark haired boy with slouched shoulders and a hooked nose, and the rest with whom she guessed was her father when younger and a few other boys she didn't know.

There was some ribbon, some jewelry, a bunch of letters tied together with string, a doll, a worn out paperback novel, a silver mirror and brush, some drawings that looked like her mother must have drawn them when she was a little girl, a piece of cut rope, a funny but pretty looking stick, an old wedding veil, what looked like recipe cards, and so many more things that it felt like the box had endless depths of treasures and memories. She hadn't realized how much time she had spent crying and looking in the box when she began to yawn, looking at the small clock she had telling her just how late it was.

"Amazing, it barely feels like two hours since we returned from the zoo," Rose said idly as she yawned again. The dark cupboard was only lit by the glow of the white lilies above her; the gentle light never fading from when they first appeared. Rubbing her tired eyes, Rose placed the box back on the shelf and changed into her nightwear; an old shirt of Dudley's and sweatpants all of which were too big for her. Sparing one last glance at the box, she crawled beneath the covers of her makeshift bed and she wondered if her father knew about the box, and the same magic her mother did like the glowing flowers. She wanted to know more, and her mother's box was only the beginning of her questions.

Closing her eyes, the soft light above her fading from the flowers as she began to drift to sleep, Rose muttered one last thing to herself: "Uncle Vernon is wrong, there _is_ such a thing as magic, It is real and it's beautiful."

**TBC**

**Someone made a very valid point with Rose's whole name. Her name was probably the hardest thing to decide and I wanted to continue Lily's family tradition of naming girls after flowers but I didnt want it to be so common so I thought of Primrose but the review was right in saying that it is a very old fashioned name at that since they had given Harry his fathers name as his middle then the same should apply here. Even if having two flowers in the name doesnt flow as well. Either way I decided to take their advice so I went to my doc manager edited the name and reposted the same chapter a second time. I will now go through the other chapters to make the correction of her name.  
If any others are HAPPY with this decision let me know so I know I didnt make a mistake over one persons review. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Another wondeful chapter beta-ed by Whatisthisnonsense. without her I would not be continueing this fic as I am.**

A Not So Normal Letter

Rose had been given the longest punishment she could ever recall having and by the time it was over the summer holidays had started and it was as if the whole thing at the zoo had never happened. They all chose to ignore it, and not to discuss the mystery of the disappearing glass.

But for Rose, everything was changing, because of her mother's box and the magic that resided in it, she was discovering things. She was learning about her parents' relationship and her mother's childhood; making her curious as to who she really was, what magic really was and how suddenly it had all come about in her little cupboard after the disastrous trip to the zoo.

One morning the kitchen smelt absolutely horrible; apparently Petunia was dying some of her old clothes gray for Rose so that they would match Stonewall Public High School's uniform while Dudley, to Rose's great relief, would be attending his father's old private school, Smelting's. Aunt Petunia had gone into London with Dudley to pick up his uniform earlier that day, and now together with Uncle Vernon she was looking down at Dudley in his new uniform as if he were the new messiah.

Rose was just having a hard time trying not to laugh; she was sure she had already cracked two ribs from holding back the giggles. Her cousin looked ridiculous and she was forced to watch him parade around in it all day without relief from the torture of being able to suppress her mirth.

The next morning her cloths were done but the smell still lingered slightly in the kitchen, and when she walked inside her Uncle was reading his paper and Dudley was still wearing his boater hat; banging his Smelting stick on the table.

Rose winced every time he smacked the stick against the wood, imagining him hitting her with it. He may not have ever hit her with his fist but he wasn't against using other methods. After pouring everyone's orange juice she sat at the end of the table, a bit to close to Dudley, eating the leftovers she had been given without complaint but a thank you to her Aunt Petunia.

They all heard the click of the mail slot and the flop of letters as they fell to the doormat and all eyes turned to Rose.

"Well what are you waiting for, girl? Go and get the mail!" said Vernon.

Sighing, Rose stood up, barely avoiding being poked by Dudley's stick and almost ran into the hallway to get to the front door. On the doormat lay three things and picking them up she aimlessly looked through them. One was what looked like a bill, another a postcard from Aunt Marge - her Uncle Vernon's sister, and lastly a letter addressed to _her_.

Never in her whole life had Rose ever received a letter; the Dursley's didn't even celebrate her birthday. She had no friends of family besides the Dursley's, but here she was holding a letter in shaking hands addressed to her, and there was no mistaking it:

_**Ms. R. Potter**_

_**The Cupboard Under The Stairs**_

_**4 Privet Drive**_

_**Little Whinging**_

_**Surrey**_

The address was written in a brilliant emerald green ink. The envelope was thick and heavy; made of a yellowish parchment. It didn't even have a stamp on it. When she turned it over in her hand Rose found a purple wax seal with a coat of arms; there was a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake all surrounding a large letter H. It looked just like the letter in her mother's except that had been addressed to her mother with the maiden name "Evans" still intact.

"What's taking you so long, girl? Hurry up!"

Snapping out of her shocked daze, Rose hid the letter in her sweater under her arm and took a deep breath before heading back into the kitchen to give Uncle Vernon the mail. She made it through the door and even to the table where she gave the rest to her Uncle.

Putting down his paper, he first looked at the post card the had received.

"It appears that Marge has fallen ill, how terrible. Apparently she ate a funny whelk," he announced to his wife, ignoring Rose as she walked past him, her letter still stuffed under her arm.

Once she made it past her uncle and reached the other end of the table, she made the terrible mistake of pulling out her letter too soon from its hiding. Dudley looked up at her in interest, and she cursed. He had seen it. And she reprimanded herself for not waiting until she was out of the room or back in her cupboard until she had taken it out.

Quicker than Rose could imagine a boy of her cousin's size moving, Dudley climbed out of his chair, snatched Rose's letter right out of her hands and began to shout.

"Dad, look, look, Rose got a letter; she's got a letter!"he chanted as he made his way with speed to his father's side as Rose chased after him. Rose jumped on her cousin's back as she tried reaching over his shoulder for her letter.

"Give it back to me! It's mine, it has my name on it!" she told them, grunting as she struggled to reach her letter and putting up a fight to get it back before her uncle got it. She was too small, however, and was eventually thrown off of Dudley's back and on to the floor, although she was able to take his stupid looking hat with her.

"What nonsense are you spouting now?" Vernon laughed mockingly, "Who would send a brat like you anything?"

Rose struggled to keep her temper in check as she held her tongue, watching as her aunt came up behind her uncle, curious herself as to whom would send a letter to her niece.

With his family surrounding him Vernon looked down at the letter in his hand, and his face went from red to green and then a pale white. His hands began to tremble when he read the front and then turned it over to look at the wax seal.

"That's my letter, I want to read it!" Rose continued to shout and only to go ignored.

"P-P-Petunia." Stuttering his wife's name, Vernon held the letter up more for her to see and heard her gasp behind him.

"Oh dear God, not her too! Vernon! Oh, Vernon!" she cried, looking down at the letter as if it was the devil himself now presented before her.

For a good while, they stared at each other, Petunia leaning Vernon's shoulder, and Vernon staring up at her, forgetting their son and Rose altogether. Dudley wasn't used to being ignored by anyone, and he didn't like it one bit. Giving his father a rather sharp tap with his Smelting stick he tried regaining his parents attention.

"Daddy, I want to read that letter," he said rather loudly. But then, thought Rose, when _wasn't_ he loud and obnoxious?.

"That's not fair! It's my letter and I want to read it. It's _mine_!" Rose said, furiously and slammed her fist on the ground next to her.

"Get out both of you!" Vernon ordered the two, finally turning back to them as he stuffed the letter into his pocket. But Rose didn't move or even flinch.

"No. That's my letter. I want my letter!" she screamed standing up and stomping her foot, something only Dudley could get away with, as she stood her ground.

All the while as Rose and Vernon glared at each other, Dudley was stomping his feet, demanding he get to read the letter too and Petunia was having a bit of a panic attack behind her husband, who was pacing back and forth.

Petunia was saying something incomprehensible like "No, not her too! Why again, why? Should have known. A freak, just like Lily! Like Potter-" and a few other things Rose didn't catch. The last part she didn't like, not one bit. Glaring at her aunt, she threw Dudley's hat at Petunia angrily.

"MY MOTHER WAS NOT A FREAK!" she screamed, her brow scrunched and teeth clenched together behind lips pulled back into a sneer, her anger like an overflowing pot of boiling water. The vase in the center of the table shattered, followed by all the glasses of orange juice she had previously poured for the family.

Petunia and Dudley screamed, both cowering behind Mr. Dursley who stood towering over the girl looking ready to kill.

Rose knew what was coming and before Vernon could catch her she ran. Throwing open the back door she ran out of the house, across the back yard and towards the back fence to the small wood just beyond it. Her heart thundered against the inside of her chest when she heard her uncle's roar as he gave chase, shouting obscenities as he did so. She was smaller and quicker, however and was able to out run him. He almost got her when she reached the fence, and she struggled to jump over it when he caught her ankle just as she was half way over. She was terrified that if he caught her now he would never let her go again, or worse.

"Let me go! I didn't mean it, I'm sorry!" she pleaded, struggling to escape from his grasp, afraid of what he would do to her. Kicking and wiggling she was surprised when she heard her aunt's voice yelling at her husband.

"Don't you hurt her, Vernon!"

Obviously taken aback by his wife protecting Rose a second time, her uncle unknowingly let his grip loosen, and that was just enough for Rose to break his grip completely as she snatched her foot back. Loosing her balance from the sudden regain of all her limbs, Rose toppled the rest of the way over the fence, landing face first on the ground. Behind her, her uncle growled as he tried to reach over the fence and to her but it was no use and she could practically hear the white painted fence creak as if ready to break under Vernon's massive weight any second. But even if her uncle could reach her, Rose wasn't staying where she was as she stared up at his angry pink face fearfully before turning back around, pushing off the ground and running into the trees until the house was out of sight. She was just mad, scared, and now, confused. What had happened to all of the glass? Had she been the one to make the all shatter?

"Just bloody _wonderful_ Petunia, you let her get away. Now you can be the one to go and bring her back before someone sees her and she causes another disaster!" Vernon waited until he was inside and the door and blinds were closed behind him before yelling at his wife, ignoring the mess Petunia was in the middle of cleaning up as he stomped his foot.

Grabbing the still shocked and scared Dudley by the scruff of his neck, Vernon tossed him out into the hallway and ordered him again to go to his room. This time, Dudley did as he was told.

Once his son was gone Vernon went back into the kitchen and looked down at his wife as she swept up the shards of glass.

"I'll go after her in a bit. But what do we do, Vernon? Should we write back to them?" she asked her husband who had taken her place in pacing around the kitchen as she cleaned up what she could.

"No," Vernon told her, instantly. "No, we'll just ignore it. It's the best option. If they don't get an answer from us I'm sure they won't bother us again. That's what we'll do; nothing," he finished almost frantically, loosening his collar and running a hand down his face.

"But, Vernon, she's-"

But he immediately cut his wife short of what she was saying, not even wanting to hear the words, "I wont have one of them in this house, Petunia! We swore together, didn't we, when we took her in that we'd stomp out that dangerous nonsense?" He turned on her, glaring at her and watched her flinch from him. He didn't think much on it though, and went back to pacing.

"_I_ wanted to send her to an orphanage, but no, _you_ insisted we keep her. And so we did, we raised her, clothed her, fed her, and educated her all in the hope that she would be normal. _You _wanted her and now _you_ can go after her and be the one to set her straight."

Standing at her husband's stern voice, Petunia brushed off the knees of her skirt and apron. Without another word, not knowing what she could really say to her husband, she merely stood and nodded in understanding.

"I'll go after her now," hanging up her apron, she walked past her husband to go out of the front door, grabbing a coat from one of the hooks. She would have to go out from the front and around the house to get to the woods; the fence in the backyard didn't have a gate and she wasn't about to hop over it either. She just had to make sure that none of the neighbors saw her.

Rose had not run for long when she stopped, she was breathing hard and wanted to cry. '_What did I do?' _she thought feeling afraid. Had that really been her, had she really broken all of the glass? The thought scared her a bit.

Sitting down, she pulled her legs to her chest and took a few deep breaths. Now she knew she would never get her letter and her punishment was sure to be even worse and longer than the last one. She had ruined everything for herself, and now she didn't know what to do. She would have to go back eventually. But for now she would just stay put where she was; Rose was sure that she hadn't run far enough away to not be able to find her way back.

She sat there for a while just thinking; about the letter, about her parents, about how much trouble she was going to be in. Her eyes downcast, she spotted a flower that had yet to bloom. Plucking it, she laid it in the center of her palm and just stared at it, imagining how pretty the flower would be when it did bloom. And then the petals started to open up, blooming right before her and glowing like her mother's box with the lilies.

"Magic," she whispered, looking at it with a smile and a lively gleam in her eyes; it was amazing.

"Stop that!"

Startled, Rose dropped the flower and spun around to find her aunt standing there, glaring at the flower that had fallen to the earth.

"Really, you're so much like your mother it's frightening," she stepped closer to her niece and stopped to look down at the flower, it's glow fading before she stepped on it.

"Lily did the same thing once when we were young and were playing at the park near the swing sets. I hated it then as well. It wasn't right to make a flower bloom when it wasn't supposed to; unnatural is what it is." she said, softly, but it seemed she was speaking more to herself than to Rose. She seemed so angry as she stared at the now crushed flower and then at her niece and for a while she just went back and forth between the two, before sighing and bending down in front of her niece. For a moment, Rose was sure that she saw sadness in her aunt's eyes before they hardened again.

"Listen to me carefully, Rose, I don't ever want you to do those things ever again; those unnatural things even though you may not realize you're doing them, you must try and make yourself. And you'd better never speak of them either. It's because you are my sister's daughter that I have taken you in and raised you, protected you; even from my husband's wrath with the hope you would be normal. But I will not tolerate any more of this freakiness."

Rose was more then ready to make a retort, the "freakiness" as her aunt called it was the only happiness she had, but apparently Petunia wouldn't have any of that and cut her off before she could even get one syllable out.

"No, you are to be quiet as I speak! I was wrong to say such things about your mother, and I want you to know I did not hate my sister, your mother, despite some of the things I say. Things happened between us that you can't understand."

Rose _had_ always believed that Petunia had hated her mother as she rarely spoke of her, but when she did it was never pleasant.

"I had so hoped you wouldn't grow up to be like your parents; such rotten luck you were born with. You really are a cursed child." Petunia's voice was cold and rough as she spoke but the more she stared at the girl her eyes and heart began to soften as she saw so much of Lily in her niece.

Sighing, Petunia let her mind wander to better days. Closing her eyes she was awestruck at Rose's obedience in being so quiet. She was so much like her mother, at times a bit more timid but that attitude was there. And with Vernon nowhere around, Petunia allowed herself to be sentimental just this once.

When Petunia opened her eyes again she saw teary green eyes, the same color as her sister had had.

"Do you know why I always force you to wear those broken glasses around the house, even when you don't always need them?"

Rose shook her head.

"It's because when you wear them it means I don't have to see Lily everywhere, and those glasses are the only thing stopping you from completely resembling your mother. Though I suppose you may have your father's smile."

Rose had never heard Aunt Petunia speak to her so softly; her voice was always a loud, demanding shriek. And neither had she ever seen her aunt behave in such a way, for she had even mentioned Rose's father. It all came as a large shock to the ten year old, even more so when Petunia cupped her face, using her thumbs to brush away some of the tears that still lingered but hadn't fallen. And for a minute Rose thought Aunt Petunia was about to cry.

"You're a good girl, Rose, I know you are. Your mother's little Rosie, that's what she called you once in a letter to me," she said, her eyes looking away from her niece's as she recalled the first and last letter she had ever received from her sister, since her marriage to that Potter man, that had announced the successful birth of the couple's first child. Petunia was positive that Lily's letter had been different from all the others she knew had been sent out; it had been more personal. Turning back to her niece she dismissed the memory and began to address the girl once more.

"I know I act like a mean and cruel woman at times, but at this moment I'm doing this for your own good. Those things that you can do are dangerous, and that letter brings nothing but trouble to those that they're addressed to. Cursed is what they are she explained to her niece fiercely, speaking with bitter venom on her lips. For a moment within her shocked silence and daze as she looked at her aunt, Rose wondered what horrible experience her aunt could have had involving that letter to make her speak of it as if it had cursed her own life somehow. But she highly doubted that; after all, the Dursley's were the most normal, happy family, and to the outside they could even be called almost perfect. The key word, Rose felt was 'almost' – if it wasn't for _her_.

But still Rose counted what was happening between her and her aunt as a miracle. It was unbelievable and she was not all too sure what to think of anything her aunt was saying.

_'Is she only being nice because Uncle Vernon isn't anywhere around?' _

That thought alone left Rose wondering whether, if it hadn't been for her uncle would her Aunt Petunia have been nicer to her? And she seemed sincere, she really did. But it wasn't enough to deserve any form of forgiveness and Rose didn't think that it was possible for her to ever forgive the Dursleys for what they had done to her.

Stroking her niece's cheeks fondly, frowning as she watched the girl flinch, Rose's eyes a teary glare filled with suspicion. Petunia couldn't help but think how this girl was truly the only living link she had to the normal part of her late sister. She knew the danger and curses that came with that letter and the world it came from. It was the world that had killed her sister, and she wouldn't have the same thing happen twice and allow Rose to be taken from her like Lily had been.

"So I'm asking you because I know you're a good girl, and because I don't want anything bad to happen to you, for you to never behave the way you did earlier and to never use these unnatural and dangerous-" she stopped to think about the word she should use. 'Gifts?' No, they were the absolute opposite and 'curses' was too demonic.

"-Abilities." That was a good word – perfect.

"Never use these unnatural and dangerous abilities again. And you are to never speak of, or ask for that letter again." She regained a bit of the harshness she had spoken with previously, before her next words came out as more of a demanding plea towards Rose, "Just try, Rose. _Try_ to be normal, make an effort and things could be better; easier for you."

Rose didn't trust herself to speak and only nodded with a strained smile. How could she promise such things? How could she swear to her Aunt not to do magic?

Now, since her mother's box had opened it was too late; it was already becoming a part of her. But then again, Rose had never seen her aunt like this before. Would it be worth giving up the letter? Perhaps she would be able to at least try doing all the other things she was asked of, but she didn't think she could give up on that letter. It was the only letter she had ever received and she wanted to know whom it was from, and what was inside.

"Good," said Petunia, "now you are never to mention this conversation to your uncle or Dudley. Now stand up, we're going back to the house where you are going to go straight to cleaning up the mess you made earlier, and I will talk to Vernon about lessening your punishment before he goes off to work."

Standing up straight and brushing herself off, it was as if the Aunt Petunia Rose had just seen had never existed. Her aunt's eyes went cold again as she ordered her to stand up, tossing back her blond hair before leading the girl back to the Dursley's home as if, indeed, what had just occurred, had not.

TBC

**Do not forget to review if you so wish, it is very much appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Another big thanks to my wonderful Beta Whatisthisnonsense. She has been doing an amazing job and I have never been so happy with anyone in my life. All improvment in this fic is thanks to her**

The Letters From No One That Won't Stop Coming

She had cleaned the entire house until it sparkled with barely a moments rest, but Rose was more then grateful; knowing that this was the extent of her punishment when it could have been so very much worse.

Afterwards, she went to her cupboard, looking through her mother's box until she found the letter so similar to the one she had gotten earlier; the one that had been addressed to her mother. Rose searched and searched, all the while the conversation she had with her aunt running through her mind, until she finally found what she was looking for. Pulling out the paper, Rose's smile disappeared when she realized that it was just the envelope; the letter inside was missing.

"And here I thought that I would be able to at least find out what could have been written in my own letter," she sighed, as she began to put her box away, dejectedly.

Later that evening when Vernon returned home from work to the spotless kitchen, there was no visible hint of what had happened that morning, except for the vase missing from the center of the table.

The real amazement of that evening wasn't found in the cleanliness of the house, but what Vernon did on his return. For the very first time, he visited Rose in her cupboard. The girl was more than ) surprised when the visit was made, but it didn't stop her from saying the first thing on her mind even if it went against her aunt's wishes.

"Where's my letter?" she asked, watching as Uncle Vernon squeezed through the door, in a far too serious mood to laugh.

"I want to know who's writing to me!" She was stubborn, that was for sure.

"I know Petunia spoke to you about not asking anymore about that letter. Besides, no one wrote to you, there was a mistake and it was addressed to you by mere accident, and I have already burned it," he explained to her, gruffly.

"You're lying, it couldn't be a mistake, it had my cupboard on it!" she said angrily, for it _had _to be impossible that it was an accident. The letter _had _been addressed to her cupboard. Who else lived in a cupboard?

"Enough!" Vernon yelled, trying to control his temper as he watched Rose flinch and a spider fell from the ceiling of the cupboard as he sat in the doorway. He took a few deep breaths and closed his eyes before trying to start over to get to the point of his visit.

Holding her tongue, Rose watched as her uncle forced a smile, something that looked rather torturous for him as he tried again to get out what he had wanted to say.

"Yes – well, speaking of the cupboard. Your aunt and I believe you've grown a bit big for it and, well, we thought you might like to move upstairs into Dudley's second bedroom. Wouldn't that be nice?"

It was quite funny for Rose to see her uncle struggle so hard just to be nice to her. There could have been many reasons why her uncle wanted to give her Dudley's second bedroom, but for once she didn't bother asking. Lighting up like a firefly in July, she stared at her uncle with a genuine smile that put her uncle's fake one to shame as she blew it away with her honest, pleasant surprise.

"Really, I can have it? I can move out of the cupboard?"

She was so excited. Despite her small size, the cupboard always seemed far too tiny for her, and these days she had to curl up into a ball when she slept. It would be so nice to actually have her very own bed instead of hard floorboards.

Breaking his false smile at last, her uncle confirmed her move with short "yes," before ordering her to take her things upstairs, which wasn't much, right away after he left. She didn't hesitate in grabbing her things and piling them in her arms, making sure not to forget her box. She wondered with suspicion if Vernon and Petunia moving her upstairs had anything to do with her letter. Despite looking happy on the outside with her big smile, her mind was constantly whirling with thoughts and questions. She was just smart enough not to always speak them out loud.

* * *

The Dursley's home had four bedrooms, one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, one for any visitors and guests, Dudley's room where he slept, and then there was an extra room that was used for all of Dudley's toys and things that the first bedroom just didn't have the room for.

Since Rose hadn't many things it only took one trip up the stairs to move everything. It was only when she opened the door to the room and entered the cluttered space of broken toys did her smile fall from her face. _'Maybe moving up here isn't as great as I thought it would be.' _

The room was a complete disaster zone; there were broken toys everywhere. The only things that weren't broken or ruined were the shelves of books. Rose felt that just cleaning the room and moving the toys out would be harder than cleaning the whole house had been.

With barely any room to walk around, the floor littered with broken things in her way, Rose was amazed she could make it to the bed. Putting her stuff down first, she sat on the edge of the bed and just looked around the room with distaste, trying to figure out if maybe the cupboard really was a better place to sleep than here. She decided that she'd rather be in her cupboard with her letter, than up in this room without it, but it was only after she heard the beginning of Dudley's bawling to his mother that Rose realized this.

"I wonder if I can trade back?" she thought out loud, before falling back on the bed with a sigh as she stretched.

"But, Mum, I don't want her in there! ...It's _my_ room, I need it… make her get out! Make her get out!"

As her cousin continued to bawl, yell, cry, whine, and then eventually throw a complete tantrum, all Rose could think about was her letter.

Tossing about on the bed, she held her pillow to herself, whining at the mistake of getting so happy earlier, when she should have been focusing more on her letter. But Aunt Petunia's words just wouldn't leave her be; she let herself get carried away. Then again, Vernon had already said that he'd burned the letter, so Rose realized that even if she had stayed in her cupboard, she wouldn't have gotten it anyway.

Annoyed and irritated by her thoughts, she shot back up from her bed and went to her box, but stopped when the image of her Aunt Petunia pleading with her popped into her head. It had been the very first time Petunia had really been nice to her, and now she had her own room instead of having to sleep in the cupboard again, but had it been worth losing her letter forever? Rose was so confused again, she _had_ to think; she had to make a choice. She didn't want to destroy whatever was starting to form between her aunt and herself, though she was treating her the same as before, but Rose wanted to know where she came from and that letter had been the key to discovering it.

Instead of opening the box like she had planned, Rose just held it to her chest.

"What do I do, Mum?" she asked aloud, knowing she wouldn't get an answer but it was her only confident, and her only comfort.

"I just want to belong, but I don't know where I belong to."

She had hoped after what Petunia had said to her, what they had shared, that her place in world could be with her aunt, but it came with a sacrifice if she accepted it. And then there was the letter that she couldn't stop obsessing over. How long could she fight it, how long could she go without opening her mother's box, go without at least asking what she was until she finally burst? She wanted to know, she deserved to know everything, and if her aunt and uncle were not going tell her then she was certain that letter would have.

Rose felt like she was being pulled in two. Her aunt wanted her to be normal, but she wasn't normal, she knew that now. She could _do_ things, strange and amazing things that her aunt said were dangerous. Could she trust her aunt's words, or the feelings inside of herself? It was so hard to decide what to do and after a while Rose began to get tired; her thoughts turning blurry as she fell back on her bed again, her head hitting the pillow with her box still in her arms as her eyes became heavy and drooped until they completely fell closed.

* * *

The next morning, Rose still hadn't made a choice, but for now she was trying to be 'normal' for her aunt. Her letter was gone and she probably wouldn't ever be sent one again, so should have been examining her options. Even though they all seemed to feel wrong.

At breakfast, everyone was quiet, as if the day before had never happened at all. The family did this a lot when strange things occurred. It had all been a shock to Dudley. He had done everything he could: hit his father, kicked his mother, cried, and thrown things, stomped his foot but at the end of the day he still didn't have his second bedroom back. Rose wished that he would have it back as she was too unfocused to even care about it, really. She had other things to fuss over like her letter, where she belonged and magic far ahead of her new sleeping arrangements. No, Rose was far to preoccupied thinking about her mistake of not waiting until she had been back in her cupboard to open her letter, or even in the hall when she had first seen it as she sorted through all the other mail. She had kept thinking about this over and over since the day before, bitterly and regretfully.

None of them realized how hard this was for her. She tried not to think about her letter; not to think about the magic and that flower, or her mother's box but they all seemed to draw her to them, calling her. It was something that was very hard to resist when she was trying to be a good girl and respect her aunt's requests, though she knew she owed the woman nothing she felt she did.

Rose wanted to scream. She hadn't even turned eleven yet and her life was way more confusing than it should ever be. If _only_ she had that letter, maybe then she could make her choice after knowing what was written inside it for her.

Petunia watched her niece carefully; the girl hadn't done anything unnatural or abnormal since incident with the glasses and supposed Rose must have decided listened to her. She noticed, though, how she seemed to fidget, like she was itching, and she knew what it was that was bothering the girl. Rose was trying, she really was. Still, Petunia made up her mind that she would continue to watch the girl closely, and force away any guilt she felt and bury it deep down inside herself. She would not let Rose become anymore of a freak. At least, that's what she tried to tell herself, and she continued to exchange dark looks with her husband.

Due to a conversation with his wife the night before, Uncle Vernon was strangely making an effort in trying to be nice to Rose, and so, when the mail arrived, he sent Dudley to go and retrieve it for him.

It was all very strange having her aunt and uncle be nice but Rose knew that she could count on Dudley behaving the same towards her. He even smacked her with his Smelting stick on the arms really hard on his way to get the mail, having made a fit about sending her to go get it instead; still not pleased that she had been given his second room.

_'I wish he would get over that already,'_ she made an effort of hoping as she rubbed her stinging arm.

They could hear Dudley stomping all the way down the hall like the spoiled child he was as he hit and knocked over things with his stick, which Rose had decided she really hated, and then Dudley was shouting, making them all jump.

"She's gotten another one! 'Ms. R. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive-"

Dudley didn't get to say any more, as Uncle Vernon jumped from his chair with a roar; his seat falling to the ground behind him with a loud clunk where it shook before stilling, and he ran into the hall after his son. Standing herself, Rose went after him, her aunt calling out for her to stop.

They had sent her another letter! Someone wanted her, or at least, wanted to _talk_ to her.

Mr. Dursley had a hard enough time getting the letter out of his son's grubby hands without Rose hanging off his arms and shoulders trying to get a hold of the cursed parchment. It was an odd wrestling match between the three, in which they all got hit by the Smelting stick a rather large amount of times, but in the end Vernon had come out as the winner. Straightening himself up, he wheezed for breath, smoothing out his clothes with the letter clutched in his hand and he ordered the two children to their rooms, but Rose wouldn't budge an inch.

"I want my letter. I don't see why I can have it!" she said stubbornly, as she looked up at him. Her feet were planted on the floor as she blocked his path, though he could easily crush her if he wanted to, as she tried to stop him from going anywhere for the moment.

"You can't have it because I _say_ you can't have it!" roared Uncle Vernon, "Now, GO TO YOUR ROOM!"

If she had been standing any closer, Rose was sure Vernon would have gotten spit on her as he yelled, pointing up the stairs.

Watching Rose go grudgingly up the stairs, Uncle Vernon made a point of saying one last thing when she was halfway to the top, "And don't even think about coming back down until I say so! I'm burning this letter and that's the end of this whole thing!"

But it wasn't the end, as the next day three more letters lay on the doormat.

Rose was coming down to do her morning chores when she saw her uncle at the door, tearing up all three green inked letters in his hands. He didn't even notice her standing at the bottom of the stairs, and walked back into the kitchen only when he was done leaving what was left of her letters in shreds at the door for her to clean up. She wanted to cry.

That day, Vernon didn't even bother going to work, and instead he stayed at home to drill a piece of wood over the mail slot; sealing it closed while Rose watched from her seat at the top of the stairs with an expression almost akin to being bored with a mixture of worry, that were both connected in her fear for her uncle's sanity.

'_Why can't he just let me have one letter?' _Rose was sure if he did so, things would be much easier for all of them afterwards and she pondered this thought as she stared at her uncle as though he were a crazy person, whilst he spoke his logic of; "If they can't deliver the letters, then they're sure to give up and leave us alone" out loud to his wife at the end of the hall, whom of course, agreed. Finally, still giving her uncle an almost pitying look of worry, Rose slowly started to scoot back from her seat, moving slowly and quietly as if she was trying to get away from a dangerous animal; being careful not to startle it and spur on an attack. Actually, her uncle _did_ remind her of a wild bore sometimes, he kind of resembled one, too.

The day afterwards, her uncle decided to return to work again. At the door, Petunia was kissing her husband and wishing him a good day at work, when she noticed all of the owls on top of her husband's car; in fact, they were _everywhere_. On the roof, on the car, the fences – it was frightening. And as Vernon tried to shoo and scare the things away from his car Petunia, felt something under her foot.

"Vernon," she called, her eyes set on the pavement of their steps, or more correctly, the ten _letters_ lying on the pavement.

* * *

That evening, when Rose peeked into the sitting room, having noticed the glow of the fireplace from around the corner, she found her uncle burning all of the letters from that morning and even some that he had missed on his way out that had been slotted through the sides and pushed under the door, and hidden by the doormat, and Petunia even found a few that had been forced through the small window of the downstairs bathroom. To say the least, it left Aunt Petunia with a terrible shock and unease.

When Vernon noticed Rose standing there, simply watching him with a blank expression, he stopped in the midst of throwing another letter into the flames. Taunting her, he held up the letter with a bit of a wave for her to see and smiled before tossing it in the fire, his eyes never leaving hers, and continued with the rest, making sure she was watching him.

She wanted to run at him, to stop him from destroying any more of those letters – _her _letters, rip them from his hands and make another run for it, but as she stared into the fire; at the blackening crumbling paper, she seemed to be able to find the will to move at all. All she knew in that moment was any physical cruelty done upon her by her uncle, could never reach the height of the emotional cruelty he was now doing her by denying her the right to her letters. Forcing herself to turn around, she went back upstairs to her room, passing her Aunt Petunia on the way up.

It wasn't ten minutes later, did Rose hear a knock on her door before it opened to see a very unhappy looking Aunt Petunia.

"I thought I told you to forget about that letter, and yet still you make a ruckus, even attacking your Uncle. Why couldn't you just listen?" she asked, clearly not understanding why Rose would not just let it go.

"You wouldn't understand."

And Rose didn't know how to explain it, either. She just needed to _know_, and there was only so much her mother's box could tell her. Unable to look her aunt in the eye, she turned so she was sitting on the bed with her back turned towards Petunia, "I just need to know where I belong."

She wasn't sure if her aunt had heard her last sentence, but if she did, she didn't reveal so, only scoffed bitterly.

"Why must you be so difficult!" she shrieked at the girl, truly not understanding Rose, before giving up and leaving her for the night, making sure to slam the door behind her on the way out extra hard.

"I told her she wouldn't understand; no one does," Rose whispered, before lying on her bed, curling up as she tried to find some peace in slumber.

* * *

Things had become ridiculous by Saturday, when twenty four letters had been rolled up and hidden in each of the two dozen eggs, which Rose found rather hysterical, and Uncle Vernon had immediately got on the phone with both the post office and the dairy to complain and rant furiously about the disaster. Whilst he did that, Aunt Petunia was busying herself with shredding the letters in the sink food processor – a new and interesting way of disposing of the pesky parchment. All the while, Rose was chuckling at Dudley, whom was watching his parents in slight terror, making it all the more hilarious.

"But I don't get it, I mean, who would want to talk to _you _this badly?" Dudley asked her, amazed.

Rose couldn't answer her cousin's question, but it was obvious that whoever was sending her the letters were just as persistent on her getting one as she was. She had even tried to sneak out once to catch the mail earlier down the street, only to have stepped on her uncle's face, as he had decided to camp out in front of the door one night. There went her plan, and she was sent back to her room that morning where she had remained until her uncle told her she could come out. Her plan may have been ruined, but her determination to get what she wanted had yet to die or even dim in the slightest.

The next day, Sunday, seemed like the greatest day in the world to Vernon, who looked rather crazed and ill, and even Aunt Petunia seemed to take relief and relax as they enjoyed the afternoon together in the sitting room.

"Fine day, Sunday," Vernon said, as Rose walked in carrying a tray of cookies to serve to the family, "In my opinion, I find it the best day of the week. Do you know why that is, Dudley?" He took a deep breath through his nose and let it out, before turning to his son with a rather odd smile, waiting for his boy to answer, but Dudley didn't know and only shrugged, cookie already in his mouth.

Deciding to humor her uncle, Rose answered the question, seeing as Dudley had little clue and was far too distracted by the cookies she had helped make the evening before with Aunt Petunia.

"Is it because there's no post on Sunday's?" she asked, as she turned from her aunt to her uncle, offering him the baked treats as well.

"Very right you are, Rose, my girl!" he praised her, smiling at her as he took a cookie, "No post on, Sundays!" After repeating Rose, he gave a short "Ha!" of victory before taking a bite of his snack.

Hearing a squawk, Rose turned to look at the window just as she saw the shadow of a bird on the curtains fly by. Behind her, Uncle Vernon was still celebrating rather vocally.

"No blasted letters today! No sir, indeed," he cheered, not even taking notice as, with a curiously tilted head, Rose inched closer to the window, feeling like something was going on outside besides just that one bird.

"Is it not wonderful, Petunia? Not one bloody letter, not a single one!" Vernon practically sang behind Rose, not exactly a pleasant sound, as she reached the white lace curtains of the window and pulled them to the side.

She stared in in wonder at what she saw. There must have been more then fifty owls outside the Dursley's home, not including the ones that must have been on the roof. Her aunt called owls fat rats with wings, disgusting diseased creatures! but Rose thought them to be very beautiful and intelligent creatures. More of them kept flying to the house, landing on the road signs, stumps and posts on the other side of the street when they could find no room with the other's on the Dursley's property.

"No sir! Not one damn, miserable-"

And then something came whizzing out of the fireplace, hitting the man right on his nose mid sentence, successfully quieting his rant. Spinning from the window, the curtains falling back in place, Rose stared at her uncle, missing what had happened when her back was turned.

Aunt Petunia had an unreadable expression on her face as she looked at her husband, Dudley looked from the letter that had appeared to his father and then to his mother, before they all felt the shaking and trembling of the house, and turned to the fireplace.

They felt the trembling and heard the flittering of the thousand of letters coming down the chimney before they saw anything, and it seemed almost too much for Vernon as he looked like he was on the verge of crying, his brow furrowed and mouth turned down in a grimace as he lifted his hand to cover his ears from the horrid sound of the letters that had yet to come down the shoot. But unlike her Uncle Vernon, Rose was holding her breath in anticipation and her posture was straight and rigid as she stared at the opening of the fireplace in wait. And then it happened; dozens and then hundreds of letters began to shoot out of the fireplace, flying into the air and filling the room in a shower of yellowish envelopes.

Smiling, Rose laughed as she twirled around under the rain of envelops giddily, her cousin Dudley jumping into Aunt Petunia's lap and Uncle Vernon trying to swat away the letters pelting down on him as they all shrieked together, and then she was jumping atop the coffee table, trying to catch one of the letters she had been determined all week to get her hands on since the first one had been delivered.

When she managed to grab onto one she only took a half of a second to look at it before hoping down from the small table and making a run for the hall. Unfortunately, Vernon was coming after her as he rocked himself to a stand from his recline, a hand outstretched towards her. Rose had jumped over the couch, not even bothering to look over her shoulder, and ran for the cupboard which was closest in which she had hoped to lock herself in. Another mistake; she should have just gone for the stairs and her room, but she supposed the cupboard had been an instinctual choice as it had been her room for the last ten years of her life. And now her Uncle had caught her.

Even the hall was being flooded with letters; the wood that had been screwed and nailed over the mail slot broke and fell from the door as letter after letter whizzed out into the hall in a single flow of nonstop paper.

Grabbed around her waist by her uncle, Rose was lifted of her feet as she kicked and screamed, "LET ME GO!" Lifting her legs, she kicked them off the wall and pushed them back knocking Vernon, with her still in his arms, into the hallway chair, with her flailing about without relent like the letters.

"Let go of me, they're my letters I want them, let me go!" she cried, her glasses slipping down her nose as Uncle Vernon held one arm around her shoulders, almost choking her, and another around her waist as she persistently flailed her arms, still trying to catch one of the letters that were filling the house. Both Petunia and Dudley had run from the sitting room to the end of the hall and were just staring at the two.

"That's it, I've had enough! We're going away, _far away_, where they can't find us!" Vernon bellowed to the family, looking rather dangerous and insane as he continued to hold onto Rose, then he ordered his wife and son to pack some clothes and come back downstairs.

"Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked, watching his father struggle with his cousin; his mother not daring to say a word as she wrapped her arms around her son both protectively and to comfort him, before leading them past the still struggling two and up the stairs.

TBC

**Thanks for reading and do not forget to review in kind**


	4. Chapter 4

**A big thanks to my lovely and wonderful Beta Whatisthisnonsense. Thank you so much Maggie, it thanks to you that I can be a better writer and produce a much better fic for the readers to enjoy.**

Running From The Letters From No One

The Dursley's hadn't bothered packing Rose anything to bring, only what she was wearing, but she had been able to break free, if only to grab her mother's box, before she was snatched away again by her uncle and this time thrown into the backseat of the car before they sped away from the house and towards the highway.

Looking back for the first time in her life, _longingly_ at the Dursley's house, she thought of all the letters that now filled it. She was actually surprised not to see the roof detach from the overflowing paper. She had been so close, _so close_ to finally finding even a semblance of the truth, and now it was gone, ripped from her by a fat beefy hand. Rose scowled and turned back around in her seat, her arms crossed and box in her lap as she glared at the back of her uncle's head. Next to her Dudley whined and sniffled; his father had hit him upside the head for taking too long when he had tried to pack and bring his television with them, which had been the same time Vernon had been distracted enough for her to run to her room and retrieve her box.

She noticed only once while they were driving that Aunt Petunia glanced behind them to check on Dudley and her eyes happen to glance upon the pink shoebox. She must have recognized it as she let out a startled gasp that earned her a funny look from her husband, before she snapped her head back around to the front to look ahead. Rose narrowed her eyes in suspicion but shrugged it off, doubting her aunt even knew what was inside the box, since she hadn't even been able to open it until that night after the zoo. She could only assume that her aunt had not been able to open it before her, either. Sighing with a disappointed pout still pulling at her lips, Rose leaned against the side, staring out of the window, her thoughts obsessively stuck on the chances of ever getting her hands on one of those letters ever again.

Someone, somewhere had found her, and they wanted to speak to her. Now, she would never know whom.

It felt as if they had been driving for days; a silent car ride that they had not even a clue as to when or where it would end. All they did was drive and drive without a stop, and even Aunt Petunia didn't dare to cross the line and ask where it was they were going, exactly. But when Uncle Vernon seemed so high strung, wavering on that thin line, Rose was way past wondering whether even her dear uncle knew where he was taking them; all he kept saying was "far away" over and over again to himself. And Rose, felt honestly scared to be in the car with him, driving in his mental condition as he was.

'_Maybe he's finally snapped?' _she wondered, a bit crudely with humor, although it wouldn't be very funny if he managed to crash the car while she was in it as well. If her uncle had indeed gone and lost his marbles it was his own fault for not letting her have her letter the first time around, leading them all to the chaos that drove him to how he was now.

Sometimes Mr. Dursley would shake things up a bit by making a sharp turn and starting to drive in the opposite direction for a long while, "Shake 'em off... Shake 'em off… Sneaky, they are. Got to shake them off," was what he muttered when he did this while Petunia looked at him with clear worry in her eyes, her hand once are twice lifting to hover over his shoulder, but never touching, afraid it would startle him to the point they may end up crashing the car somehow.

They didn't even stop when Dudley complained that he need to go the bathroom, but drove and drove, no food, no drink, just nonstop road as they drove past any possible stops. It was a big mistake, because by the time night began to fall and settle, Dudley was howling like an injured animal. It was a horrible sound and he did it at the top of his lungs, temporarily deafening Rose in one ea, and just wouldn't stop.

He was hungry, tired, and he had already missed five of the television shows he had planned on watching that night, not to mention he was going through the withdrawal of not being able to blow up some alien character on his computer. It was the worst day Dudley had ever had.

'Spoilt_ brat' _was the only thing Rose had ever thought of her cousin as, and she thought the same thing now as she watched him kick the back of his mothers seat, wailing like a baby that had his pacifier taken away. _'Try going without food for three days' _she thought in a silent challenge that she knew Dudley could never win if he tried. This was nothing for Rose, although she wasn't sure if that was something to be proud of, but either way she felt as though she had one over on her cousin at least.

When her uncle did stop it was outside of a very gloomy and scary looking hotel that was located on the outskirts of the big city. Rose and Dudley were forced to share a room together, and to make it worse the room smelt moldy and the sheets of their twin beds even worse so, smelling damp and musty. Her _cupboard_ was better than the room.

Dudley snored, which made it impossible for Rose to fall asleep. Whilst he slept, she found herself unable to, and once she was sure Dudley wouldn't wake up, (doubtful since her cousin could sleep through a train wreck) she crawled out of the nasty bed, grabbed her box from underneath it and went to the other wall to sit on the windowsill.

Lifting the lid of the box, Rose watched as the glowing lilies danced around her, their glow only fading when the lights of a car passing by shone through the window. Pulling out the doll from the box and holding it close; it was a sturdy but dusty porcelain one, with blond curls and rosy cheeks wearing a frilly red dress.

"I wonder what your name is - my mother _must_ have given you a name," she spoke to the doll in a whisper, holding it out in front of herself. It was a very pretty doll and she didn't want to dirty or break it, so she put it back

"Don't worry, I'll find out your name another time." Smiling at the doll apologetically, she looked through the rest of the contents of the box.

Rose shuffled through the notes, finding a few childish poems and some papers that had strange words she never heard of. There were a few more pressed flowers made into books marks, and the ribbons were countless. There was a gold and red patch that had the same lion on it as the seal on her letters, the ones she never got to open, and there was also a gold and red striped tie with her fathers name stitched on the back. She was still amazed at how many things could fit into one small box.

_'Maybe it's part of the magic?'_ Fireworks went off in her mind whenever she thought of magic; that it was real, and what it had to do with her.

'_How can something so wonderful, be bad? What about it is so dangerous that Aunt Petunia wants to protect me from it?' _she questioned, eyeing the magical lilies, raising her hand to cup one as if she could really hold it in her palm.

"I just don't see it."

Having closed her box for the night, Rose stroked the lid and continued to sit at the window, looking down at the lights of the passing cars and just wondering, just imagining...

The next morning, Rose sat staring down at the bowl of stale cornflakes in front of her, before shrugging and, without complaint, lifted a spoonful of the cereal to her lips. Stale breakfast was better than no breakfast at all. Dudley clearly disagreed as he banged his fist on the table, nearly spilling his own breakfast as he tossed a fit. Rose just rolled her eyes and continued eating, and it was only after a scolding from both of his parents did Dudley quiet down and eat. And of course, he did so in a piggish manner of swallowing spoonfuls whole without even chewing or tasting the stale cereal.

_'So disgusting,' _Rose thought, watching her cousin with a sneer.

Just as they were all finishing their breakfast, the owner of the hotel came over to their table.

"'Scuse my interruption of your mornin', but one of you wouldn't 'appen to be a Ms. R. Potter, would you? I just about got a 'undred of these letters at the front desk, you see." The woman promptly held up the letter so that they could clearly see the address on it, written in unmistakable green ink.

_**Ms. R. Potter**_

_**Room 17**_

_**Railview Hotel**_

_**Cokeworth.**_

With a determined look on her face, Rose made a grab for the letter.

'_It's mine this time for sure,' _is what she thought as she reached for it, but Vernon had knocked her hand away with his own and used it to hold her back as he took the letter, a pleasant fake smile on his face as he kept eye contact with the woman who was currently staring at the growling girl scratching at Mr. Dursley's arm.

Moving in front of Rose, Vernon blocked the woman's view of the feral-looking child.

"I'll take them," was all he said, moving an arm behind his back as he pushed his niece into her chair, before fallowing the woman from the dining (just the one 'n') room without even a look over his shoulder at his family.

"Rose, how dare you embarrass your uncle in such a way!" her aunt scolded darkly her eyes on fire with a glare and her nostrils flaring, as she looked down her nose at her niece in disappointment. Rose fought not to feel guilty, and she told herself that she had no reason to, as it was _her_ letter.

Dudley just pointed and laughed at her.

Once out of sight when they left the hotel, Vernon made sure his son and wife were far ahead of them as he held Rose back, before he stopped them both and back handed Rose across the face.

Rose hadn't expected that, and suddenly she was very grateful for her Aunt Petunia. She had to bite her tongue so as not to scream as she fell to the hard ground, scraping her knobbly knees, tears rolling heavily down her face and her bottom lip quivering in fright as she stared up at the furious red face of her uncle in terror.

"YOU LITTLE BITCH!" he roared above her, looking more than ready to stomp on her to death. "HAVE YOU ANY IDEA THE EMBARRASSMENT AND EXPLANATION YOU CAUSED ME WITH THE SAVAGE SCENE YOU MADE BACK THERE?" He rose his leg behind him, looking ready to literally kick her whilst she was down, and all she could do was whimper and sniffle as the cool tears from the pain slid down her swelling red cheek.

'_No matter what, I won't beg for forgiveness or mercy, not anymore!' _she was done with it, all of it, and just as she was working on standing, only bending back to get her box she had been saving from unknowingly being kicked back to the floor, when Petunia began calling for them, wondering where they had gone off to. It was to be said that if her aunt saw her face it wouldn't be pretty between her uncle and aunt, and so without being told Rose kept her head down and bruised cheek turned away from her aunt when they got back to the car.

Rose had only just realized how easy she had it with Petunia protecting her, because she was very positive that if her aunt never cared, her previous abuse could have always been worse. She almost felt lucky.

"If they just keep finding us, wouldn't it be better if we just returned home, dear?" was Aunt Petunia's timid suggestion.

But once more Rose, Dudley and Petunia believed Vernon to have relapsed back into his paranoid state of mind, causing Rose to wonder if her Uncle Vernon's rather extreme abuse earlier might have been a simple lapse of sanity brought on by seeing the letters again. That did not mean she forgave him, or understood any reasoning for him to hurt her in such a way; she still hated her uncle, be he insane of just plain cruel and mean.

Whatever his state of mind, the man didn't seem to have heard his wife at all as he continued to drive them to parts of nowhere, including the middle of forests and plowed fields, and each time he would get out of the car, look around, shake his head, then duck back into the car to drive them away. He had indeed gone mad.

Finally, Vernon parked them at the coast, and locked them all inside the car while he disappeared with no say to them where he was going.

_'Did he just abandon us?' _Rose questioned herself - she wouldn't have been surprised if it had been just her left at the side of the road, but not Aunt Petunia and Dudley along with her.

And then it started raining.

_'How much more depressing can this day get?' _she couldn't help but think as she watched the rain slide down the glass of the windows from her spot curled up against the door, with a rather interesting expression on her face. Of course Rose knew better than to speak her sarcasm out loud, she was afraid if she spoke her uncle might hit her again so she stayed quiet in her little corner of the car.

As the car echoed with the sound of raindrops, Dudley once more took to sniveling beside her, and more than once he had actually used Rose's sweater to wipe his nose, and she actually wished Uncle Vernon had _only_ deserted her. She would be far away from them then, never hurt and able to live her life without the constant worry of messing up and getting a beating.

_'At least I still have my mother's box.'_ It was Rose's only comfort during this entire road trip.

Soon, Dudley's sniveling turned to whining, and Rose couldn't decide which sounded worse to her ears, and she suppressed a groan of annoyance as he started complaining to his mother again in his obnoxious voice. The only good part in this whole affair was that he hadn't once bothered Rose at all since they left the Dursley's home, being much more concerned with himself to even notice her next to him the entire time.

"Mummy it's Monday," he informed his mother, who looked more tired than Rose had ever seen her, with her head back on her seat and closed eyes giving only a hum to let her her son know she was listening, and so Dudley continued.

"The Great Humberto's on tonight. Why can't we stay somewhere that has a television? I want to watch my shows!" Leave it to Dudley to know what day of the week it was by his television schedule.

'_Wait, did he say Monday? Then that would mean-' _Tomorrow would be Rose's birthday, if Dudley was actually _right _about it being Monday of course, then Tuesday was her eleventh birthday.

'_Honestly, how could I forget my own birthday?' _Then again, Rose's birthday wasn't exactly something they celebrated at the Dursley's, neither were they very fun, to leave her with happy memories. Last year, all she got from the Dursley's was a pair of Petunia's old stockings and a coat hanger. It was understandable that it wasn't exactly a day she would count down to, but then again…

And then she spotted a dark and rather large form coming towards the car, and for a moment she thought her uncle made the right choice locking them in the car. But as the ominous figure got closer and closer she became disappointed the closer they came and realized who it was. Uncle Vernon had returned, and he was smiling. Rose would have been more relieved it if had been some weirdo apposed to her uncle.

'_So he didn't abandon us,' _she thought blandly, almost wishing he really had done so, his smile scaring her. She also noticed that he was holding a long and thin package, and when Aunt Petunia asked him where he had gone and what it was that he had bought, he didn't answer her, like all the other times she had tried asking him something.

"I've found the most perfect place!" he explained, close to cheerful.

"Well come on! Everyone out of the car now!" He gestured with his hand, waving it around as he tried to hurry them along. Rose was positive that she wasn't the only one who thought her uncle insane at that time.

It was freezing outside and Rose was more than ready to jump back inside the car and lock the Dursley's out in the cold. Still smiling, Uncle Vernon pointed out across the crashing waves to what appeared to be nothing but a very large rock far out at sea. But, squinting her eyes behind her glasses, Rose could see that it wasn't just a rock, as she could make out the most terribly unstable and rickety little shack. She did not enjoy imagining being perched on top of that very same rock in that horrid shack that looked ready to be blown down at any minute.

Suddenly, Rose's guts were twisting in a knot as a feeling of forebode came over her, her jaw dropping and face contorting into a horrified expression as she looked back and forth between her uncle and the island shack in disbelief.

"You have got to be joking?" she said aloud, gasping and covering her mouth with her hand relizing she had spoken out of place. She closed her eyes ready for her uncle to hit her again but when she didn't feel the blow she peeked her eyes open, her uncle only turned to her with that unwavering smile of his that made Rose just want to rip his lips right off his face.

"You can't expect us to really spend the night _there_, can you? Is it even safe?" She spoke with bravery, taking the chance that if he hadn't hit her the first time she spoke he wouldn't the second and prayed this was just another show of her uncle's proven insanity.

"But I do expect just that, and we are. A storm's forecasted for tonight and this nice man has kindly agreed to lend us his boat before it comes in!" He seemed far too happy when he told her this, and he was even clapping his hands before the "kind man" in question came ambling up to them. Giving the group an unnerving toothless grin, the old man pointed them to a just as old looking rowboat, and Rose's heart dropped into her stomach.

She tried to make a run for the car, not wanting to believe for a second she was going across the thrashing waves in that pathetic rowboat to get to a just as pathetic shack, both of which looked ready to be swallowed by the ocean, but Vernon grabbed her before she could make it five feet, and hauled her over his shoulder and into the boat.

The shack was just as miserable inside as it was outside; the place was practically falling apart, not to mention the smell. Every place they stayed only made Rose's cupboard seem better and better. The shack smelled so strongly of seaweed it started to burn her nose a bit, the wind would whistle through the gaps in the wooden walls eerily and allowing a draft to filter through, while the fire place was empty. It only had two rooms, an upstairs and a downstairs.

With some luck they had found a bit of wood and paper to fill the fireplace, both a bit damp, and were able to get it lit, even if it was just a small fire.

"Sure could do with some of those letters now to burn, eh, Rose?" Vernon said to her cheerfully, poking one of the logs. And despite his amazingly good mood, her Uncle Vernon was still a terrible man and had said that to her just to be cruel.

He thought no one could possibly reach them here, and that even more so, it would be impossible to deliver any sort of letter in the storm that would be hitting them very soon in mere hours. In the back of her mind, Rose couldn't help but logically agree with her uncle, and admitting her agreement didn't help in cheering her up one bit if not making her depressed. For her uncle, this was a sanctuary; for her, it was nothing but another cage the Dursley's had locked her in.

When nightfall came, so did the storm Uncle Vernon had promised them. And as the storm blew around them, the waves rising high to splash against the outside walls, and the wind rattled the filth-filmed window, Aunt Petunia searched for blankets and sheets. She was able to find a few moldy blankets upstairs in a cabinet and brought them down to make up a bed for Dudley on the torn up and moth-eaten sofa and, of course, all Rose was left" thinnest with was the most thin and ragged blanket there was. She hadn't expected anything better.

* * *

After Dudley was settled, Petunia went to join her husband upstairs to share the only bed in the hut, and when she got to the bottom first step she stopped only to turn around and whisper a last goodnight to her son when the glow of the fire lit up her nieces bruised cheek. Gasping, Petunia was unsure as to what to do; if she approached Rose while Dudley was still awake, then he might question his father's morals, as he had been taught not to hit girls, and she couldn't exactly approach Vernon either. So she stuck with a giving her niece a regretful and sad look, disappointed in her husband, and mouthing an apology while wishing she could do more for Rose. As she continued up the stairs, Petunia thought about how she would have to make it up to her niece somehow for allowing Vernon to ever leave a visible mark on her.

* * *

Watching as Aunt Petunia went to bed, Rose knew if it had been any other time, her aunt would have given her husband no rest for hitting her so badly. Her aunt did not tolerate or support hitting a woman or child in such a way, and on the face no less. It wouldn't have mattered if it was a bruise on her arms or legs, but the face was unacceptable, for Petunia believed that for a young woman of any age that her face should be, and was, the representation of one's honor and possible future standing in society and life. Of course, Rose didn't believe any of that rubbish about looks.

For the second night in a row, Rose was unable to sleep for a number of reasons, one being the deafening thunder of the fierce storm raging outside that even drowned out Dudley's snores, and then there was the fact she was lying on the hard and cold floor, with loose nails digging into her skinny, slightly malnourished body. Plus the belt she wore to hold up her skirt was digging into her hip; seeing as they didn't pack her any clothes, all she had to sleep in was the same casual cloths she had been wearing when they first left. It was rather awkward, really.

Looking at the lighted dial of her cousin's new watch wrapped around his pudgy wrist, the rest of his arm hanging off and over the edge of the couch, she looked to see how much time was left until that fateful hour. Five minutes, five minutes until she'd be eleven.

'_I wonder if the Dursley's will remember, or even just Aunt Petunia?'_ she thought, although doubt filled her mind along with this thought.

Four minutes. And what about the person who had written all those letters? Where were they, _who_ were they? These were things she wondered about as she waited.

Three minutes. Her stomach growled with hunger, only for her to ignore it, not that it was the first time she had neglected her stomach's complaints. Turning onto her front, she rested herself on her elbow as she began to draw a birthday cake on the dust-layered floor with her finger.

Two minutes. She even took the time and bothered to write 'Happy Birthday Rose', on her cake.

One minute. Lastly, she made eleven lines on top of the cake that were supposed to be the candles.

Thirty seconds. She pushed her mother's box out from under her little blanket, opened the lid and quickly took out the baby picture of herself.

"Make a wish, Rosie."

And then Rose was counting down the seconds. Five...four... three... two... one!

Dudley's watched beeped as the time struck midnight and she quickly blew out her candles on the floor, and then-

BOOM!

The whole shack trembled in a shiver that had Rose on her feet in an instant as something pounded on the door. Someone was outside and they wanted to come in.

TBC.

**Reviews are nice if you are new to these Beta chapters, or if your reading and simply notice the improvements.**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER, J.K ROWLING DOES.

Also a big thanks to my great and awesome beta Whatisthisnonsense who without their wouldn't be this story any longer.

Meet Hagrid, The Keeper Of The Keys

Dudley was up at the second booming knock, and by the fourth one, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had made it down to the bottom of the stairs. Petunia turned on the light, reachable on the ceiling from the steps, revealing what Vernon was holding in his hands. It was a rifle, and they all now knew what must have been in the package he had had bought.

'_Isn't a gun a bit much for all of this, or did he know that someone would be coming?' _Rose thought nervously, staring at the rifle in her uncle's hands from her hiding spot in the corner, behind the brick of the jutting fireplace.

"Who's there?" Vernon shouted at the door.

"I warn you - I'm armed!" His voice cracked and he sounded more like a mouse than intimidating, as he clearly hoped so that he could scare whomever it was outside away.

And then the banging stopped, a pause of silence and then...

SMASH!

The door was knocked upon once more, with such inhuman strength, that it was ripped right off the locks and hinges, and with a deafening crash that could match the thunder of the storm still going on outside, it fell and landed flat on the floor. Rose all but screamed and shrieked from shock of the door as she peaked around the bricks hiding her, and did so just in time to see the intruder step out from the mist of the storm into the doorway of the shack.

Rose didn't even know a person could be so big and tall, her uncle was just big in general; she was in a state of awe. The intruder was a literal giant of a man, with a face almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard. But she could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all that hair, though she was sure that if she looked closer, she would find his eyes more brown, with little laughter lines in the corners of them.

When she noticed the giant begin squeezing his way into the shack, she quickly pressed herself back against the wall so as not to be seen. How had he even gotten to them, was probably the real question they all wanted the answer to?

"Sorry 'bout that," the giant apologized, tucking away his umbrella into his coat as he stepped over the door, before bending over and picking it back up, fitting it back in the frame with ease before turning back to the bunch with a genuinely cheerful and easygoing smile. With the door back in place, the thunder and sound of the storm was once more muffled to a distant rumble.

"I demand that you leave this instance, sir! You are breaking and entering!" Vernon shouted at the man, as he held the rifle pointed at the giant with shaking hands. But the giant, barely seemed to even hear him, as he turned around from the door, only needing to take two large steps to be in front of Vernon.

"Dry up, Dursley, you great prune," he said, glaring down at the man as he jerked the gun out of Rose's uncle's hands before he could shoot it off, continuing to give an examples of his strength, as he bent the rifle into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber and throwing it behind his shoulder.

Having turned from the couple and strode around to the sofa, the stranger at last took the time to look around as if searching for something, when he couldn't seem to find it he turned back to the older Dursley's.

"Well, where is she?" his voice bellowed, as he glowered at Petunia and Vernon. "Where's, Rose?"

At the mention of her name, Rose stepped out from her hiding place rather bravely. Taking a deep breath, she addressed the giant.

"Um, excuse me, sir, but why are you looking for me?" she asked, standing in her spot innocently as he turned his head back and looked down at her tiny form when he heard her speak up. And looking into that supposedly fierce, wild, shadowy face she took note of how his eyes were crinkled in a smile, and suddenly Rose thought of a giant, but raggedy; a teddy bear she used to have before it became so old and dirty her aunt got tired of looking at it and threw it in the trash. The giant suddenly didn't seem all that scary anymore.

"There you are!" he said to her.

"My, I haven't seen you since you was a baby, Rose. You sure do look like your mum, got her eyes and hair you do. A bit of your dad too, but mostly 'yer mum," he told her, gesturing to her features. And then he suddenly perked up again.

"Almost forgot, I got something for you. Afraid I might have sat on it at some point, but I imagine it'll taste just the same." He smiled as he rocked from side to side on his feet, before pulling out a white, and slightly squashed box, with a pink ribbon tied around it from one of the inside pockets of his coat. He held the box in his hands for a minute, suddenly seeming a bit shy and sheepish, and though he still looked rather unsure, he handed the box to her, smiling when the girl took it.

Haven taken the box from his hands and into her own, Rose looked at the giant and then back to the white package.

"I baked it myself, words and all."

And she noticed how proud he sounded as he told her this, waiting patiently for her to open it and see. And so she did. With shaking hands, she pulled the thin, pink ribbon off to the side and flipped the top back. Inside was a birthday cake, coated entirely over by sticky, and no doubt sugary, pink icing with _Happy Birthday Rose _written on top in green icing and in absolute perfect condition. She'd never had anyone make her a birthday cake before, so as she stared back and forth between the cake and the man who had given it to her she tried to feel out if it was safe or not. After all this man was still a stranger. But she also couldn't help but feel ridiculously happy to receive her very first birthday cake.

"Oh wow, thank you so much!" she said with a smile, sounding rather surprised as she strained her neck looking back up at the man with the greatest joy of having received such a nice gift, and she struggled not to start sniffling and crying.

"Well it's certainly not every day that your young lass turns eleven, is it?" saying this, the giant turned to the fire and dropped back to take a seat on the couch, which bent and sagged under his massive weight, but still supported him impressively well for a piece of furniture in its condition.

For a minute, Rose just watched as the strange giant sat looking behind him at the Dursley's, who had all assembled at the base of the stairs and huddled together. He then spoke to them in a casual tone.

"One of 'yeh wouldn't mind makin' us a cup o' tea, now would yeh? It not exactly been an easy journey for me…" he asked rather politely, with kind hoping for a little sympathy, expecting a little too much of the lot to think they would show him any hospitality. When none of them seemed to be budging, he only sighed a tad tiredly and turned around to face forward, turning his back on the cowering family and he didn't turn to look at Rose when she started talking to him.

"I don't mean to be rude, but exactly, who are you?" Rose asked, still sounding a little shaky. But she couldn't just _not _ask who he was, when he seemed to already know who _she _was.

Chuckling, the giant pulled his umbrella back out from the inside of his coat, and pointed the tip into the fireplace, the last of the flames having died out already, and Rose watched over her shoulder as she put her cake down, and little sparks shot out of the umbrella's metal tip, creating a roaring fire. And for a moment, Rose became lost in the sensation of the sudden warmth washing over her form, after having felt nothing but the cold, the dancing flames filling the dark damp shack with flickering light. The feeling of that warmth coming over her felt so familiar, like the first time her mother's box had opened.

"Forgot to introduce me'self, thanks for reminding me. I'm Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts," he said, poking the logs of the fire with his umbrella, only to stop as he held out one of his enormous bear-like hands and shook Rose's entire arm. Then, to her further amazement, he started to pull out impossible things from his coat: a copper kettle, a squashy pack of sausages, a teapot, a poker, several rather chipped mugs, and then a bottle of some amber liquid, which he took a swig of, before starting to make tea. It was rather comical to watch, really.

It wasn't long before Rose found herself sitting next to Hagrid on the couch, her mother's box in her lap, and her mouth watering from the sound and smell of the sizzling sausages held over the fire. And not a single one of the Dursley's said a word as the giant worked, but when he pulled away from the fire and slid the first six fat, juicy, and slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Dudley, being the pig he was, couldn't help but start to noticeably drool and fidget.

Noticing his son's predicament, Vernon quickly warned his son off from the temptation of the steaming pork, after only having bought four bananas and a bag of chips for each of them as their rations.

"Don't you even think about touching anything he gives you, Dudley!" His words were sharp as he pulled Dudley back behind him.

Hagrid chuckled darkly at her uncle's suspicion.

"Like I would offer yer puddin' of a son any of my food, as if he needs anymore fattenin'. No need for worry there, Dursley," he scoffed, and passed a sausage to Rose, who was so hungry she felt about ready to burst into tears like the sausage was the most amazing thing in the world Even so, Rose just couldn't find herself able to take her eyes off the giant she willingly sat next to.

'_Was he the one sending me the letters?' _she thought, considering him as a good possibility as she couldn't seem to come up with any other explanation for his sudden and unannounced visit to their little 'getaway at the sea', looking for her.

'_How did he even get here? We're in the middle of the ocean during a storm, it shouldn't be possible for __**anyone **__to have made it past the waves in this weather.' _Swallowing the last of her sausage and washing it down with the tea Hagrid had poured her, she wiped at her mouth, embarrassed for her sudden gluttonous and Dudley-like table manners. She blushed respectively, as she whispered an apology, before again composing herself.

"Thank you again for the food and tea, it was really delicious. It's just that I still feel like I really don't understand who it is that you are, exactly, I'm sorry," she told him honestly, feeling rather ashamed as if she _should _know who he is by now and why he had come for her, as if the answers were right under her nose.

Taking another gulp of his tea, Hagrid wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, before turning to look at the small girl, completely unbothered by her worry and apologies as he chuckled softly.

"Yeh got no need to apologize, Rose, that's alright," he said kindly, reassuring her to get her to relax around him a bit.

"You can just call me Hagrid, seeing as everyone does," he said.

"An' like I told yeh before, I'm Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts – though I reckon yeh'll be knowing all about Hogwarts, o' course," he explained just as lightly and carefree as he had the first time, his eyes starting to crinkle in a small smile.

"Uh-no, I don't know actually," said Rose, and the cheerful giant didn't seem so cheerful anymore.

Hagrid was utterly shocked, and it was clear on his face for anyone to see. Of course, Rose assumed it was what she had said that had upset him, and made quick work to apologize.

"Sorry!" she said, as fast she could get out as she shrunk away from the angry giant, until she was almost falling backwards to the floor. She pressed up against the arm of the sofa, her mother's box held tightly in her arms. She was used to being hit whenever her uncle got mad and she couldn't be positive this man was any different despite how nice he seemed.

"_Sorry?"_ barked Hagrid, sounding more than furious as he turned and twisted in his seat to glare menacingly at the Dursley's over the sofa, not noticing one was off to the side eating the cake he had made for Rose, as they pressed themselves further against the wall trying to retreat further into the shadows to make themselves smaller under that fierce stare.

"Yeh got no reason to be sorry, Rose. Oh-no, it's them that should be sorry!" he bellowed, jabbing an accusing finger at the pair.

Rose felt a deep relief that it wasn't her he was angry at, that he wasn't going to hit her or hurt her like her uncle did

"I knew yeh weren't getting' yer letters but I could never have thought that yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer crying out loud! Blimey, Rose, haven' yeh ever wondered where your mum and dad learned it all?" he asked, his voice lower as he turned around to look at her.

"All what, exactly?" Rose asked, immediately regretting it once she saw how Hagrid reacted to her question.

"'ALL WHAT?'" Hagrid thundered, as he leapt to his feet.

"Now wait jus' one second. I don't believe this!" And in his anger it seemed like he had become even larger than he already was, and it felt as if he could fill the entire shack and crush them. The Dursley's, of course, couldn't press themselves any more into the wall, unless they planned on going through it to get any further away.

"Do you really mean to tell me," he paused, his voice coming out a deep and angry growl speaking to the Dursley's, "that this girl - _this_ girl, right here!"

He gestured to Rose, who was still sitting watching everything from over the ripped cushions of the couch.

"...Knows nothin' abou' - abou'... ANYTHING?" he yelled at the Dursley's.

And Rose found what he was saying was going a bit too far; she knew things, she went to school and got average grades(She would have done even better, but the Dursley's got angry when ever she did something better then Dudley), so he didn't have to speak of her as if she was dumb. After all, what else would he be talking about that would make sense? And here she was thinking that Hagrid had been actually nice, but now he was insulting her.

"That's rude, you don't even know me so how can you say I don't know anything. I've been to school, I can read and do math and -"

Hagrid just cut her off with a wave of his hand and a shake of his head as he watched her crawl across the other side of the couch closer to them.

"No, no, no, that's not what I'm talking abou'. I mean you don't know anything about _our _world. _Your _world. _My _world. _Yer parents world!" _He corrected himself, and was now trying to get something, _anything_ out of her that would let him know she might at least have the tinniest of knowledge on what he was talking about, and only grew more angry and frustrated when it looked like she really didn't know anything. And when she didn't even say anything at all and just stared, Hagrid wasn't if he would be able to control himself much longer as he turned back to Vernon.

"DURSLEY!" Hagrid screamed.

Another world? Was that even possible? But then again, Rose had found many things being possible that she had never even dreamed of before. She was confused, and she wasn't sure what half of what Hagrid had said meant, and none of it even made sense to her.

She became so irritated with the whole conversation that she accidentally squeezed her mother's box a bit to tight and dented the sides. She had almost forgotten she was even holding it, and it was as she stared at her mother's box that all the pieces started falling together to make a whole.

'_How could I have been so stupid not to notice sooner, even if I still don't understand half of what's going on, I at least have a clue I can go by.' _She almost didn't notice Hagrid begin to talk to her.

"Yeh must at least know about your own mum and dad." He stared wildly at Rose, his eyes pleading with her.

"After all, they're _famous _And even more so than them,_ you're _famous, Rose!"

She wished she did know about her mum and dad, as so far she was just learning about her mother, while her father was still a mystery, him having not left anything for her like her mother had.

"What do you mean by _famous_? And for what? I mean, I know a little about my mum, as in how she was 'different', like me. I think maybe my dad could make things happen also, things that shouldn't be possible, like how you shot those little fireballs from your umbrella, " she told Hagrid.

"Magic? This is about magic isn't? Is that why my mum and dad are famous, because they could do magic? And if I can do it too, what does that make me?" I'm not a freak? She silently added, staring up at the giant as she continued.

But Hagrid only gave her a bewildered look, running his fingers through his tangled frizzy mane, trying to figure out himself as to how he could first go about answering her. But somehow, all he could get out was:

"Yeh really don' know what yeh _are_? They neve' even told yeh, but yeh know abou' magic?" he managed to say, after a long moment of just staring at the girl as he took in the relief of knowing she at least knew that magic existed. It was _some_ progress in all of this mess that had come about.

"She's normal, that's what she is. Maybe a bit strange in the head at times, but normal nonetheless, just as we raised her to be, and I won't have you say another word otherwise about it to her. I forbid it!" It was Petunia, rather than her husband whom regain her voice first, sticking up her chin and folding her arms over her chest, stubborn in denying anything other than what she herself wanted to believe. And standing there in front of them all, Rose suddenly became rather angry with her aunt as she stared with disbelief and hurt written clear on her face to see.

"But I'm not normal, Aunt Petunia, you've seen it yourself with the flower, and even said that my mother had done the same thing once. So that means all this time you knew what my mum was, what my dad was and that there was a chance I could be the same as them!" yelled Rose.

"And you still kept it to yourselves, never telling me anything. I bet you even knew that this was going to happen, didn't you? Even about the letters? ...I just want to know, WHAT AM I?" She was getting so sick of this. When was she ever going to get a straight answer ?

"So you really never told her, not even one of you? Never told her what was in the letter Dumbledore left for her? This is outrageous! I was there! I saw with my own eyes Dumbledore leave it, you rotten Dursley's? An' just like you kept shut about Hogwarts and her parents, you even kept this from her for all these years," he spoke, each and every single syllable trembling with raw rage and disgust. They were unbelievable this lot, a right terrible family they were.

"What else have you been hiding from me?" Rose spat with venom on her tongue, the mystery growing and growing along with the lies. And she had actually believed her aunt's sincerity; that a part of Petunia _did_ care about her, being the fool to have believed her in the first place.

"Well, Hagrid, kept _what _from me? I want to know," she said eagerly, her poisonous mood disappearing when she turned to Hagrid. He would surely tell her what she wanted to know, right? After all, he seemed just as upset as she was at the Dursley's for leaving her in the dark for so long, without even a semblance or hint about what she should have known by now. Like about Hogwarts.

"PLEASE STOP! I BEG YOU NOT TO TELL HER!" Aunt Petunia yelled at him in a panic, a frightened look coming over her that mingled with her desperation.

"YOU WON'T BE TELLING THAT GIRL A THING, DO YOU HEAR ME? I FORBID IT!" Uncle Vernon bellowed, finding a smidgen of courage left, and using it in a good attempt to back up his wife and stop anymore of giant's babble. And of course, Hagrid wasn't the least bit intimidated or swayed by either of them.

"Ah, go and boil yer heads, the both of yeh." Hagrid brushed them off.

And Petunia knew that this was it, Rose would finally get what she wanted and learn what she was, and would leave just like her mother before her, and she fought with all her might not to start resenting the girl like she had when they first got settled with her.

"You're a witch, Rose."

Said girl just stood and blinked, whilst a silence fell within the shack, the only sound being the whistling of the wind, creaking of the walls, and roaring seas around them all outside. And it stayed like that for a good thirty seconds.

"I'm sorry, but can you repeat that, I don't think I heard you right? I'm a what?" she asked, jaw hanging comically as she gaped like a fish out of water.

Giving a rumbling burst of laughter, Hagrid made his way back to his seat on the sofa, which groaned and sunk even lower then it had last time, the giant's weight finally putting a toll on the raggedy old thing.

"I said that you're a witch o' course, an I reckon you'll become a thumpin' good 'un once yeh've been trained up and taught a bit first," he said to her, sounding a more confident in her than Rose herself was.

"After all with a mum an' dad like yours, what else would you be? Yeh couldn't do magic if yeh weren't a witch or a wizard. An' now with that out of the way, I think it's abou' time yeh finally got to read your letter."

'_Finally, at last I get it!' _Rose immediately thought, once the man had said the words she had been waiting to hear the chance itself, for what had felt like been a millennia of waiting.

She was practically bouncing around like a jitterbug from where she sat on the sofa, not minding, or just to impatient and excited to feel a loose spring stabbing at her leg as it stuck out from the cushion, and held out her hand to finally accept without interference, the yellowish envelope with the address written in that familiar emerald green ink to Ms. R. Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-rock, The Sea. Although, _she_ considered it more of a shack than a hut, since it had more than one floor, but that was straying from her main focus and goal.

Taking a long, deep breath, Rose closed her eyes before breathing out. She was ready. She pulled out the letter and began to read:

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL**

_Of _**WITCHCRAFT **_and _**WIZARDRY**

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(_Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,_

_Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

Dear Ms. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

_Deputy Headmistress_

If Rose had thought she had a load of questions before, then it was nothing compared to the explosions of new ones setting off in her head as she tried to think of which to ask first. After a few minutes of sorting through her head and the list of questions she had made, she was finally able to find her voice again and stammer out her first question.

"I don't understand what it means when it says, they await my owl? Do they mean, like the ones that kept hanging out in front of the house, or ones similar?" What she said must have triggered something, or reminded Hagrid of something he had forgotten about, and she was correct on the latter.

He clapped his hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a horse, and Rose couldn't understand how he hadn't cracked his own skull.

"Gallopin' Gorgons, I almost forgot," he reprimanded himself, before reaching back into the pocket of his overcoat again and pulling out – a very real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl.

'_How could it not have suffocated in there?' _Were Rose's thoughts, as she looked, rather confounded, at the creature as it gave a little hoot, looking more than a little miffed for being stuck in there for who knew how long – as well as a long quill, and a roll of parchment. Holding his tongue out between his teeth and with a concentrated look on his face, Hagrid began to scribble down a note that Rose could read clearly from her spot next to him in messy writing:

**Dear Professor Dumbledore,**

**Given Rose her letter.**

**Taking her to buy her things tomorrow.**

**Weather's horrible. Hope you're well.**

**Hagrid**

He then rolled up the note and gave it to the owl, which clamped it in it's beak, and then stood and went to the door, opened it, and threw the poor thing out into the storm.

"How could you just toss it out like that, will it be OK in this weather?" Rose asked with frantic concern, as Hagrid came back and sat down next to her again on the sofa, acting as if what he did was just as normal as talking on the telephone.

"He'll be fine, strong bird he is," he told her, and Rose realized her mouth was still open, and she snapped it back closed. And she remembered how her aunt had told her, that nothing but trouble came to those who received that letter and that it was cursed. She wasn't sure about "cursed", but the letter _did_ seem to bring with it the strangest of things.

TBC.


	6. Chapter 6

Another amazing job by my beta Whatisthisnonsense

The Confession of an Abandoned Sister

"Now, back to business," Hagrid said, clearing his voice before looking thoughtful once more, "Where was I again?"

The giant was indeed an interesting and funny man and Rose fought not to laugh a little.

Uncle Vernon made sure she didn't, when he came stepping into the firelight still just as pale-faced, but now also looking incredibly angry. Rose sank deeper into the sofa's seat, as she held her letter close.

'_It's finally mine this time, I wont let him take it,'_ she assumed, looking wearily at her uncle, whom no longer had any interest in the letter anymore.

"She will not be going!" he said, as if it was a written fact that Rose wouldn't, one that could not be challenged. Whilst he had come to stand in view, Petunia was still behind them in the shadows near the wall, as she thought the opposite to her husband's words. She knew, that now it had come to this point, that there was very little they could do to stop their niece. But it didn't mean they couldn't still try.

Hagrid grunted and looked, undeterred back at the man.

"Oh, and I suppose a great Muggle like yerself is going to stop her, are yeh? I'd like to see you try," he said with a mocking tone looking no more convinced than he had before. But a word he said seemed to grab at Rose's attention, and she turned her stare from her uncle to the giant next to her – quizzical and curious.

"A what?" she asked, with a great interest, and Hagrid seemed to know, without question, what it was she was asking about.

"A Muggle," he repeated the word for her, "Non magic folk like them. An' it's just the bloody worst luck that you had to be brought up by a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever did meet." He explained this to her, feeling rather sympathetic, knowing about the hard time she might have ahead; adjusting because she grew up in a family, who had told her nothing of anything she needed to know.

Uncle Vernon looked ready to say something else, but it seemed that her Aunt Petunia had beaten her husband, just as the first syllable of his sentence sounded from his throat. "Enough! Just stop it. I swore with my husband, when I begged with him to let us keep her, when we found her on our doorstep, that we would put an end to all of that nonsense and rubbish. I promised _myself _that I wouldn't let her become like Lily. A witch indeed!" she spat, and sneered as she spoke.

There was a silence that ended just as soon as it came, as Rose jumped from the couch and turned around on the balls of her feet to look over at her aunt, whom had at last stepped from the shadows, the floorboards creaking with her movement.

Guilt began to fill up Petunia's heart when she saw the look of utter betrayal illuminated by the fire's glow on her niece's pretty face, the bruise beginning to fade and glasses slightly crooked on her nose, and just the tiniest of gleams that hinted the forming of tears in her green eyes. Petunia had to force herself not to begin to regret the choices she had made, and then the broken voice of her niece almost shattered her eleven year long resolve, and her heart.

"You _knew? _You _knew!"_ shouted Rose, chokingly.

"You _knew _that I was a – a witch? All this time you had the answers to my questions. You knew, when all I wanted was to know? All those confusing nights staying awake, tossing and turning, trying to understand, wondering about my parents, about myself, who I was, where I came from. And you _KNEW?" _she couldn't cry, she _wouldn't_ cry, not now; in front of all of them, but she couldn't stop her voice from cracking. And then she wasn't the only one shouting.

"Knew!" her Aunt Petunia suddenly shrieked at her, coming further out from the dark and into the illumination of the fire's light, her arms folded and trembling chin held high.

"Of course we knew! How could you not be one of them, my own perfect little sister being what she was and all? Oh, how _proud_ our parents were when she got her letter. We had a witch in the family! How _wonderful_! And then she left, disappeared off to that – that _school_ of _freaks_, just like her – leaving me behind and I hated her for it," she said with a trembling bottom lip, pacing heavily in front of the girl, and Rose could see her aunt's eyes gleaming over with rising tears.

"And then every summer holiday, she would come home with pockets full of nasty frogspawn and sit there, turning teacups into filthy rats. And she became distant from me, acting as if she was too good for her own sister with her _magic_, as my parents doted over her. And I was the only one to see her for what she really was – a _freak!" _Her pacing finally lead her close to her husband's side, but not completely, a space still between them, the feeling all too familiar between them these past few months.

Rose was more than ready to reply; she couldn't stand her mother being called such a thing but Aunt Petunia had only stopped to take a breath, as she said what she clearly had wanted to say for years. Rose wondered bitterly if her aunt's chest suddenly felt lighter with the weight of her – until now – unspoken thoughts said and gone. But apparently, her aunt wasn't finished.

"And then of course, she met that boy and then _Potter, _and they eventually got married and had you. Of course, I knew right away when I got your mother's letter, that you would be just like her, just as strange, just as – as – _abnormal – _as she and your father were." Petunia breathed raggedly, as she blinked away the start of the tears that came with the memories she wanted to talk about next, and Rose wasn't sure what to think of the woman any more.

"And then something happened, she died – went and got herself blown up, if you please, that world of _magic _killed her, and we got landed with you."

Rose turned stark white, her face cooling as the color drained from it. '_My mum and dad, the way they died? Was that all just another lie?' _she thought, and not without difficulty was she able to find her voice again and spoke.

"Blown up? But you told me they died in a car crash, that's how I got my scar!" she'd been lied to again. And whilst she was hurt and angry, _Hagrid_ was absolutely beyond furious.

"CAR CRASH!" His roar shook the shack at that moment, more so than the wind and storm outside ever had since it started, and then he jumped up from his seat in anger. He did this so abruptly, that the Dursley's, all but Petunia, scuttled back to the dark corner, Rose almost lost her balance, trying to remain standing.

"A car crash killed Lily an' James Potter? What nerve. It's an outrage? A scandal I say!"

Rose was sure he would have gone on to say more, if it wasn't for her Aunt Petunia.

"IM NOT FINISHED TALKING YET, SIT DOWN!" Petunia yelled at the man, and even _he_ was terrified of her, as she pointed to the couch, and to everyone's great surprise, he actually did.

Taking a deep breath through her nose and wiping at her eyes, Petunia turned her gaze back to her niece and continued. "As I was saying, your parents got themselves killed and we got landed with you. And you were the most beautiful baby, even sleeping there on our doorstep, wrapped in a dirty blanket, and when you opened your eyes and looked right at me, all I wanted to do was protect you. And so I pleaded with your uncle to let us keep you, instead of sending you off to an orphanage, but only under that one condition that I happily agreed to. I tried hating you, resenting you, and for a good amount of years I did, but you kept growing, you started becoming more than just a bitter memory of your mother, you became someone unique, someone even more special. And I couldn't let the same thing happen to you, I wanted to protect you from magic and the world that had taken my sister from me, the one that had pulled us apart. All I have ever done was to protect you from the same fate as Lily."

Rose was shocked, and she wasn't the only one; even her uncle was looking at Petunia in disbelief. But Rose couldn't stop feeling the disgust. Her aunt may have protected her from magic, but she hadn't protected her from her own husband.

"I did all I could, I was cruel and harsh in raising you, in the hope that you would turn out to be normal, tried hating you with all that I was, as it was the only way I could think of to protect you. But it seems that I can do more than what I have allowed myself to do, and I don't know how to stop you from going like your mother." There was a bit of that old bitterness sticking to the words of her last sentence.

"Or maybe it's that I shouldn't be trying to stop you at all."

If Rose turned to look at Hagrid then, as he stood back up again to stand behind her, she was sure to see traces of respect towards her Aunt Petunia, in the eyes of the giant.

Vernon, realizing what his wife was trying to say was in shock, but that didn't matter, as he wouldn't be having any of it.

"SHE WONT BE GOING I SAY, DAMNIT! And I can't believe you would be supporting this rubbish, Petunia, when it was _you_ who wanted to keep the little brat in the first place! Now I've told you she won't be going, she'll be staying with us and going to Stonewall High, and in the end she'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters, and she'll need all sorts of rubbish – spell books and wands – all a bunch of nonsense that could be but a joke to imagine."

From behind Rose, Hagrid glared at the stubborn man, starting to become very annoyed. "Now you listen here, Dursley! This girl has had her name down since she was born, and yer mad if you think you can stop Lily an' James Potter's daughter goin' 'ter Hogwarts. She'll be going ter the finest school of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the world. She'll be with youngsters of her own sort fer a change. Not to mention she'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had, Albus Dumbledore-" Vernon refused to hear anymore.

"I WILL NOT BE PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HER MAGIC TRICKS!"

But Rose realized her Uncle Vernon, while on his end, had gone too far, and she watched as Hagrid seized the umbrella from his coat, slashing it through the air to stop pointedly in front of Vernon's face.

"NEVER," he thundered, "INSULT – ALBUS – DUMBLEDORE – INFRONT – OF – ME!" And Hagrid moved the umbrella over the man's shoulder and at Dudley, who was once more eating the cake specially made for Rose, a flash of violet light bursting from the tip of it, that hit Dudley's bottom, before a curly pig's tail came poking out from the suddenly ripped seam of his pajamas. (Sorry, because this was quite long I tidied it up a bit.)

Rose laughed and laughed, as she had never done so in her life, as she watched her cousin dance on the spot, making a squealing scream that matched his new tail and spinning around his mother tried to get him to hold still. All the while, she herself was shrieking just the same as her son, before Vernon roared and began to move them to the stairs and away from the giant and girl. And with one last, terrified look, the man pushed them all up the stairs and out of sight of the two.

As Rose's laughter finally began to die down, she took back control over herself and found Hagrid looking at his umbrella and stroking his beard.

"Shouldn'ta lost me temper like that," he said, before casting a sideways glance back at Rose underneath his bushy brows.

"I'd be awfully grateful if 'yeh didn't mention that 'ter anyone at Hogwarts," he said, after a pause, seeming a bit sheepish and nervous.

"I'm not really supposed 'ter do magic, strictly speakin'."

Rose just smiled and nodded her head in understanding, before her curiosity once more got the best of her.

"But wait, why aren't you allowed to do magic?" asked Rose innocently, looking up at the giant again with curious, seeking eyes, through the lenses of her glasses. Hagrid didn't seem to expect that question – that or it was a very uncomfortable one for him to answer. Rose decided it must be the latter when Hagrid stumbled and stuttered over his words as he tried to give her an explanation.

"Oh, well you see about that is – um – is, that I was a student at Hogwarts once meself, but, well I – er, ugh - well, I got expelled, 'ter tell yeh the truth. I was only in my third year, and they even snapped me wand in half right in front of me an' everything. I don't very much like talkin' about it. But Dumbledore, even afte' all that, let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore." And there was an honest respect and love in the dark eyes of the man, when he spoke of the headmaster of her new school, that Rose could clearly see. And though she wanted to ask _why_ it was he was expelled, she refrained from doing so for the moment. There was a small silence between them.

"So I'm really witch? You're sure? You didn't make a mistake, Hagrid? It's just, I never thought, or even imagined that I could ever be a witch before. I mean; I've always been Rose. Just, Rose."

She was afraid that he had been wrong, even _he_ could see that. Sitting back on the sofa – slowly this time for some reason, Hagrid gave a short, warm, deep rumble of a laugh and looked up at the uncertain girl.

"Well, '_just _Rose', yer a witch, no doubt about it. Yeh said it yerself, that you can make things happen, maybe when you was scared or angry?" he asked, with a small grin.

Scared or angry? Besides during the past week or so? And now that it was mentioned, Rose realized that she had never noticed things like that until her mother's box had opened itself. Turning her head to look into the still-strong fire, Rose started to think about it, started to recall… Every odd occurrence that happened around her, that had made her aunt and uncle furious with her, had all happened when she had been upset or mad…

And now that she was thinking about it, she started to look back through her memories at some of those times. She remembered being chased by Dudley and his gang, she had hurt her ankle running, and yet she had found herself far out of their reach… When her uncle had forced her to get that horrible haircut that made her look like a boy, even her Aunt Petunia had been horrified at what her husband had done, and _oh_, how Rose feared going to school with such a ugly haircut. Knowing the looks and ridicule she would receive for it, and yet, she'd found she'd somehow managed to grow it back, over night. And then the boa constrictor and the vanishing glass at the zoo, when Dudley had pushed her down, she'd made him pay for it, right? Trapping him inside the tank? ...And when she was yelling at her Aunt Petunia for calling her mum a freak, and all the glasses had shattered, or even making the flower bloom when she ran away... And of course, then there was her mother's box...

'_Holy crow!' _She really _was_ a witch.

Looking back at Hagrid, Rose saw him smiling, and she realized that he'd been positively beaming at her throughout her thoughts.

"See now, '_just _Rose?'" said Hagrid to her, still grinning and watching as she nodded her head almost violently.

"Alright then, it's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow. Gotta get up ter town, after all; we still gotta get all 'yer books an' the like for school," he said, as he took off his thick black coat and threw it over her, the sudden weight of it sinking her to her knees.

"You can kip under that, it's sure to keep yeh nice and warm," he told her with a smile, as she leant back on the sofa.

"Oh, and don' mind if ya feel it wrigglin' a bit, I think I still got a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets."

Rose didn't know how to respond to that little tidbit of information, but somehow, without her realizing it, she had slunk to the floor and fallen asleep under the shelter and warmth of the giant's coat.

PAGE BREAK?

The next day, Rose woke early, underneath what seemed like a furry cave around her; a bit of the morning light peaking through a few holes and gaps here and there, and her eyes shut tight as she refused to believe that last night was all a dream. _'It couldn't have been, it just couldn't.'_

Then, there started a loud tapping noise, just like how her Aunt Petunia banged on the door of her cupboard, and her heart sank. She was back home in her cupboard, with her aunt tapping on the door, but she _couldn't_ get up. She kept her eyes closed and tried to will herself to keep dreaming; it had been such a extraordinarily good dream.

'_That's probably why it's not real, it was too good of a dream to have been real,'_ Rose thought, dejectedly.

The tapping wouldn't stop, and three more sounded. Groaning, she gave in.

"All right, I hear you," she mumbled, shifting within the cave of comfort. "I'm getting up."

Sitting up, she still felt that heavy weight over her; Hagrid's coat was hanging over her head and shoulders like a tent. Sunlight was pouring into the shack through the windows, the storm was over, and Rose was overjoyed to find Hagrid himself sound asleep on the poor, collapsed sofa.

"It wasn't dream, it _was_ real!" she said, relieved. And then there was that tapping, it was an owl rapping its claws against the window, a newspaper held in its beak.

With clumsy feet and knocking knees, she managed to scramble to her feet, the coat managing to stay hanging over her head like a cloak, too happy to bother with it as she was filled with such an amazing feeling; like a balloon was swelling inside of her until she swore she might even begin to float. Going straight to the window, Rose jerked the rusty thing up and open to let the creature inside. With the window now open for it, the owl swooped inside, dropping the newspaper right on the sleeping Hagrid, who seemed just as easy to wake as Dudley was.

Rose watched as the owl fluttered for a second or two, before its eyes zoomed in on Hagrid's coat that she was still wearing, and dived at her

"What is it-?" But she didn't get to finish as the owl started attacking her, or more correctly, the coat.

"Stop it, leave me alone!" she said to it, trying to wave it off of her, but it only snapped fiercely at her with its beak, almost biting her fingers and causing a little shriek to escape her as it carried on savaging the coat. She even tried to take the coat off, but the bird was everywhere, and it was too heavy on her to just shrug off. She needed help.

"Hagrid!" Rose cried loudly, the owl coming very close to scratching her with its talons more than once; maybe it wanted the dormice the giant had mentioned he had in his pockets last night?

"Hagrid, get up there's an owl-" She thought she was saved, when Hagrid cut her off.

"Pay him," is what he said to her, grunting into the sofa as if she wasn't being attacked by some crazy bird that only wanted to be _paid_?

"Ow! What?" This time, the bloody thing _did_ scratch her.

"He just wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets." The only problem was that Hagrid's coat seemed to be made of nothing _but_ pockets, and so it was rather difficult trying to look through all those pouches for what she needed. She would have thought that the owl would have let up on its attack on her, but oh no, not him; this bird, it was merciless.

"Bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags…" she listed in a grumble out loud, partially to the bird to let him know she was searching for his work's pay and then...

"Finally!" And Rose pulled out a handful of the strangest looking coins. But what did she give the owl, and how many? There was an assortment of different colored and shaped coins held in her palm.

Lucky for her, it seemed Hagrid, even in his sleepy haze, was able to read her thoughts, "Give him five knuts," he told her, sleepily.

_'Thanks, Hagrid, but there's just one problem-'_ "Which one's are the knuts?' she asked, shaking off the bird that was now trying to attack her hand, and there was no way she was letting it take more than it deserved, after attacking her so relentlessly.

"They're the little bronze ones."

Quickly, as Rose counted five of the little bronze coins, the owl finally stopped it's pecking, biting, and scratching, to perch on her other arm – the one with the fistful of coins, and held out his leg; with the small pouch tied to it, for Rose to put the money into.

"Of course, _now_ you're nice and patient, you greedy bird," she told it, slipping the last coin into the leather pouch, before watching as it flew off through the same window it had come through.

"Nasty thing," she said, looking at her scratched hand. It stung a little, that was all, and was nothing compared to the abuse she suffered from her Uncle Vernon and Dudley.

Just as she tossed off Hagrid's coat, exposing her terrible bed hair, the man himself decided to fully awaken, as he sat up on the sofa. Yawning loudly, he stretched and picked up his coat from the floor.

"Well, Rose I'd say we best be off, we 'ave lot's ter do today, and gotta get up ter London too, if we want to buy all yer stuff for school." Hagrid explained, as he started pulling on one of his enormous boots. As he did this, Rose was turning and looking over the odd coins until she realized something very important that poked a hole in her happy balloon.

"Hagrid, I haven't any money for the things I'm going to need, though. And you heard my Uncle Vernon last night…" She didn't think she needed to say anymore about her uncle to Hagrid, as he already knew more than enough, even from one brief meeting last night.

"Don't you worry about that, Rose, we'll just have to make a stop at Gringott's Wizard's bank first," Hagrid told her, standing up from the sofa and scratching the back of his head. "Now why don't you have a sausage, they're not bad at all, cold. Though I wouldn't have minded some of that birthday cake either, shame that your cousin had to go and eat it all before we could even have a taste."

Rose complied and took a sausage, but not before she asked a question first.

"Wizards have _banks_, too?" she asked, continuing to be amazed as she learned more about the magical world she would soon be entering.

"'Course we do, but just the one. Gringott's, like I said. Run by goblins, as it is." and Rose started to choke on a piece of her sausage; the rest of it she'd been holding slipping out of her fingers and onto the floor.

"_Goblins?" _she managed to gasp out, after swallowing the bit of sausage down that she had been seconds ago choking.

"Goblins is right, and that's why yeh'd have to be mad ter try and rob it, I'll tell you that for sure. And as a matter o' fact, I gotta visit Gringott's meself, anyway. For Dumbledore that is; Hogwarts business."

Rose smiled as Hagrid drew himself up so very proudly, as he boasted a little.

"Yep, he usually gets me ter do important stuff for him. Like fetching you, and getting things from Gringott's. "Knows he can trust me, see."

She _did_ see, and it was because of this, that she smiled and laughed.

Rose had finished eating, and was pulling on her cardigan that she had hung on a nail in the brick of the fireplace, and Hagrid had just finished pulling on his own coat, ready to ask her if she had all her things, when they were surprised by a familiar voice.

"Rose?"

Said girl almost jumped out of her socks when she heard her Aunt Petunia calling her name rather softly, and she turned to face the woman. Petunia stood on the stairs, having descended from the top silently, and they could see she was concealing something in her hands.

"Aunt Petunia? What are you doing down here? If it's to try and stop me from leaving then don't bother," said Rose defiantly, as she looked up at her aunt with suspicious, narrowed eyes.

"No, Rose, I didn't come down to stop you," said Petunia with a sigh, shaking her head lightly side to side, before stilling it to take another step off the stairs and towards her niece, who took a step back.

"I actually came down to give you something, it was your mother's." Petunia held out a white leather bound journal. On the front of it was a beautiful, scripted "L" within a lily flower, both in a brilliant gold. "I'd gotten it for your mother, a year before she got her letter. She always said it was too special to write in. That is, until she went off to that school, she started writing in it then; from the day she got her letter, until she graduated from that place. Lily left it for me, along with a note that said she wanted me to pass it to you when you got your own letter. The note's inside."

Almost unsurely did Rose take the journal from her Aunt Petunia's shaking hands, and opened the cover. Indeed, a note on a little white piece of parchment, slightly smaller than that of the journal's, was tucked inside, and written in neat script, Rose read aloud:

_Dear Tunie,_

_If you're reading this note, it means something terrible has happened. Simply put; if you're reading this note, it means that both James and I are dead, and one of Rosie's other guardians, who she would have been passed to, is unable to take her. But I trust you to take good care of my little Rosie, raise her to be a good girl._

_Even though we haven't spoken or seen one another in seven years, I know you well enough that you won't turn my daughter away. You'll be good to her, you'll care for her, you'll help her, and be there for her when she needs you, since clearly, I can't._

_I know all of this is a lot to ask of you, when you already have your own family, but you're the only one my little Rosie has left, and she is going to need someone to protect her, and you're the only one who can do that for her._

_I'm sorry for __ever__ hurting you, and I've always regretted our ruined relationship. Because, no matter what, you are always going to be my big sister, even if you must hate me. But right now, Tunie, your baby sister needs your help; your niece needs your help._

_You have to take care of Rosie, Tunie, do all for her that I never can. And when she receives her letter to Hogwarts, which I know she will, I want you to give my journal to her and this note with it. I know you'll do the right thing by Rosie and me, I believe in you, Tunie._

_Love,_

_Your sister, Lily Evans Potter_

"But I didn't do the right thing by either of you, and the one thing I _did_ try to do that she asked of me I still managed to fail at; in protecting you, when I did nothing but try so hard," Petunia confessed, and for the first time Rose saw her aunt really cry, yet she felt no remorse or pity for the woman.

"I failed you both in so many ways, and so many times already. How could I possibly let Lily down anymore than I already have, by trying to stop you?"

Near the door, Hagrid watched the transfer take place; his respect for Lily Potter's sister growing immensely.

"I'd like to show you, Aunt Petunia, before I go that not all magic is ugly. Will you let me?" Rose asked calmly, because it was just something she felt she needed to do. Something her mother would _want_ her to do.

"Yes," Petunia said.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**A big thanks again to my darling Beta Whatisthisnonsense who without this story would not be continued.**

Magic's Warmth and a Trip to the Leaky Cauldron

Moving back around the sofa, Rose picked up her mother's box; she had pushed it to the side against the wall to keep it from harm, and made her way with slow steps back in front of her aunt. Her mother's journal was held awkwardly under her arm, as she needed both her hands to hold the box.

"You recognize this box, don't you, Aunt Petunia, because it was my mum's?"

Petunia nodded, swallowing as she wiped at the tears making a mess down her face, "It was another one of the few things your mother sent to me, but unlike the diary, I couldn't open it if I wanted to, so I thought it was useless and gave it to you."

She seemed to be being honest, at least about some things, and Rose tried to concentrate on that, so as not to have her mind wander to the negative and bad aspects of her aunts character and personality. She felt as though their conversation would not work out how she wanted it to if she started getting angry.

"Well I was able to open it, the night we came back from the zoo maybe I should say that the box opened itself. It was also the night I discovered that magic was real." Rose took a moment of pause, trying to think of the words that could possibly describe how she felt, how to really explain what happened so her aunt could understand.

"What I saw was something I don't really know how to describe, but the first word that comes to my mind when I think about it is warm, almost loving like getting a hug… It felt like my Mum was there, it felt like home. I know it must sound silly but that's how I felt," she said to her aunt. Deep inside she wanted to keep it to herself, feeling that her aunt was undeserving of seeing her mother's wonderful magic, but she also felt it was something that needed to be done, something that her mother would have wanted her to do.

"It was magic, alive and beautiful, not ugly or dangerous at all. Not this magic at least, this is nice magic, my mum's magic, if just what's left. I want to show you the magic that was locked inside, waiting for this moment." She wasn't completely sure that it was true, but she wanted to believe it, perhaps only to convince herself.

"If only just a little, I want to change how you think about magic even if I still don't know much of it myself." And then she closed her eyes and concentrated, she had never tried consciously doing magic and was aware of it before, it usually just happened without her thinking about it.

'_Maybe I should just open the lid with my hands instead of trying to do it this way.' _But just as she considered that method of approach to her little plan, she heard her aunt gasp and she felt that familiar wave of warmth roll over her, the same one she wanted her aunt to experience.

Opening her eyes, Rose saw the lid of the box was floating up above her head and saw hundreds of the glowing, shimmering lilies around them when it had only ever been a dozen, and they were just as bold in the morning light as if they were in the dark.

The lilies danced and danced, and soon the photos of Lily and Petunia as girls had joined them from the box, twirling and spinning around the woman's head, mesmerizing her.

"I don't think my mum would want you to keep on hating magic forever, at least not all of it, and not without out a better reason other than just bitterness." And as Rose's words floated in the air with the lilies and photos they marveled at it all with what little time they had left.

"It's still so strange and frightening. I'm sorry, but I still just don't know how I feel about it. Oh, but Lily, I swear I'll try. I promise. How could I have been so cruel, to the both of you? I'm such a horrible person to have treated Rose so wrongly, but from now on I'll do what's right, what I should have done from the very start of taking her in." Petunia spoke out loud, as though her sister was right there next to them.

There was a part of Rose that knew and believed her aunt probably wouldn't keep her word; that this was all just said in the moment and, all moments pass with the flow of time.

Turning to her niece and wiping the remainder of her tears from her eyes, Petunia smiled and took the last few steps needed to be in front of her, frowning as Rose unconsciously stepped back.

"Please understand, Rose, that I just didn't want to lose you, let you go like I had to with your mother. The first time was horrible enough that it changed everything and made me the bitter woman I am today." She ran her hand through the girl's wavy fiery locks and down to her still-bruised cheek, wanting to cry all over again as she watched her niece flinch at her touch, so ashamed of herself, for letting Vernon ever go so far and not even knowing about it.

Rose felt sorry for her Aunt Petunia, she had lost her sister and now she thought by Rose going to Hogwarts like her mother, she would be loosing her as well. All these years she had just been blaming magic because it had killed her sister; killed her relationship and family.

"It's ok, Aunt Petunia, I didn't expect to change your mind about magic all in one go. Even I'm still learning about it, I just only know a little is all." Rose said this as the flowers dispersed, the pictures dropping back into the box and the lid falling closed on top.

"And it's different than it was with my mum, because I don't think much will change if I go or not," she said this looking rather sad, because they both knew it was the truth. Even if her aunt was to start being nicer to her now, things wouldn't change with her uncle and cousin – she would have to pretend with her aunt in front of them. But Rose was good at pretending.

"I realize that now, and that's why I want you to go, and I want you to learn about what and who you are, learn about your parents' world, but come back to me. And this time, I won't judge you like I did your mother; things will be different. I promise," said Petunia with a smile.

Rose didn't believe her, but returned the smile anyway. She told her aunt how she was good at pretending. _'Just like I'm pretending to believe right now – that you'll actually keep your promise,' _Rose thought bitterly, not letting her small smile waver.

Petunia noticed that the girl needed a brushing before she went out anywhere. This was how she would make things up to both Lily and to Rose; she wouldn't try to stop her, she would accept her, and try to love her. She would protect her – she didn't need her sister's note to tell her she was the only one who could, because she felt it in her blood.

And as she let her fingers brush across her niece's bruised cheek – ignoring the way Rose tensed – she was amazed to see it glow, a warmth escaping herself and into the flesh of Rose's injured cheek, and all three let out a gasp as the glow burned bright, before fading along with the bruise.

"Well see here, for a Muggle like you, yeh just might have a lil magic in yeh," Hagrid said, standing and watching, amazed.

Well, he supposed, the woman _was_ Lily's sister; it could be possible, couldn't it?

Petunia shrugged it off though, as if what had just happened hadn't. She was normal, her family was normal and even if her sister and niece could do magic, she was positive she couldn't, never could and never would be able to.

Pulling a tiny silver pocket watch from his jacket and clicking it open, the giant was startled by the time.

"Sorry about this, but we're running more than a little behind schedule. It's best we be off now. Do you have everything, Rose?" he asked the girl rather hurriedly as he tried to rush the two, the moment gone from his mind along with the time they had lost.

Petunia gave him an agitated glare over her niece's head.

"She won't be going anywhere, looking like this. Now hold still, girl, your hair is an utter shambles," she told them both, turning her niece around so her back was facing her as she ran her fingers again through the red tresses, working through knots and parting it.

"Did your mother leave you any ribbons in that box of hers?" she asked, despite certain that she knew the answer; her sister had loved ribbons – even being the unruly tomboy that she was at times – almost as much as she loved that strange magic of hers.

Rose nodded her head, her hair still in her aunt's hands as she pulled out two even cute blue ribbons. She dropped them into her aunt's hand that was held over her shoulder, Hagrid at the door tapping his large foot and shaking the floor. The glare Petunia gave him had him stilling that foot immediately, before finishing her niece's hair.

"There, all done." She smiled, looking over the girl's now tamed hair. The top half of Rose's pretty hair was now pulled into two perfectly symmetrical pigtails held by the blue ribbons she had been given to use, the rest of her hair was too short and fell at her neck.

"Plaits?" Rose spoke as she ran a finger down the braided hair, surprising herself, but Petunia only gave a gentle smirk. Rose had never had her hair done before. This was very new for them both, but it was good.

Petunia had always wanted a daughter, and now she could openly – even if just a little – pamper the girl by means of irritating her over her looks... if that made sense, at all.

"Plaits are perfectly suitable for an eleven year old girl," her aunt told her, not meeting her eyes as she dusted her off and straightened out her clothes – she would need new ones now, the ones she was wearing were terribly stained. But Vernon wouldn't allow her to purchase anything new for the child.

"Now you're ready, off you go and I'll see you when you get back. You take care of her now," she added to Hagrid, looking approvingly at her niece, snapping her head back up as she returned to a stand, her last sentence a warning to the girl's new temporary guardian.

Hagrid only nodded confidently, all business like. And with a last pat, Petunia sent her niece off with the man, watching as they left through the door. She would be having a word with her husband when he woke.

'_Maybe things will be different, even by just a little now,' _Rose thought, allowing herself just a little hope as she followed Hagrid outside into the now-sunny weather onto the rock they were on. The sea sparkled and gleamed all around them now, with the storm over and the sky clear above. But still, "How did you get here, Hagrid?" she asked him. The boat that her uncle had brought them over on was still where it had been docked and tied the evening before, although the bottom was now filled a great deal with water from the rain and ocean after the storm. But she didn't see any other boat as she looked around.

"I flew," Hagrid said.

He couldn't be serious could he? After all, how was Rose to believe such a thing. But once more she had to remind herself that after the night she'd had, anything might be possible.

"You _flew?_" she just had to ask, dropping the _how _from her question. She could only imagine what it would be like to fly, as in really fly through the air. It was even more incredible to imagine _Hagrid_ flying.

"Yep, flew I did – but now that I got yeh I'm not really supposed to do magic anymore, so we'll have to be going back in this lil dingy," Hagrid told her, walking towards the boat Rose's uncle had hired. He didn't seem to be really caring how exactly Petunia and her family would be getting back to shore.

She noticed how down Hagrid always seemed to look when he mentioned he couldn't use magic, and she could only imagine how it must feel. Whatever it was that he did to have his wand snapped and magic banned, it must have been terrible, but she felt it would be wrong to pry much further into it.

"Hagrid, why exactly would you have to be mad to try and rob from Gringotts? You only spoke of the Goblins," she asked curiously, as the giant lifted the boat with just one hand and dumped the water out from it. They wouldn't need the extra weight with him sitting in it; they would probably sink.

"Such a shame to row, now," Hagrid spoke absently, as they lowered themselves down into it after it had been settled back atop the water, now drained. Then the giant was giving her another one of his sideways looks.

"Rose, if I were, well, if I sped things up a bit, yeh wouldn't mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts, would yeh?" he asked, stuttering a long the way, his umbrella halfway pulled out of his jacket already.

Rose shook her head so fast the giant swore it would come rolling off her shoulders and into the water below.

"Not at all, please use all the magic you want, I swear I won't ever tell a soul at Hogwarts, not one," she said, energetic and eager to see Hagrid use more magic, her grin at the mere thought of it stretching her cheeks until the corners of her mouth just about reached her ears.

With a deep rumbling laugh and appreciative smile, he pulled the pink umbrella the rest of the way out and tapped the side of the boat twice with it, and then they were propelling over the calm ocean surface as they sped towards land.

"So, about Gringotts, Hagrid?" she asked, the rush of salty air from the sea's surface burning her eyes just a tad as the taste caught in her mouth. Hagrid, sitting across from her – whose back was to the wind and blocking her from it partially – looked up from his paper that the owl had delivered to him earlier.

"Hmm, Gringotts? Oh yes, yeh asked why yeh'd be mad to rob it. Well, besides the goblins, there are spells, enhancements, all sorts of protections. They even say they have dragons guarding the high security vaults. And then of course, yeh gotta find yer way, if yeh can that is. Because yeh see, Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London. It's deep under the underground. So even if yeh did get yer hands on summat, yeh'd just die of hunger tryin' ter get out," he explained, lifting his newspaper once more, the _Daily Prophet._

Rose had learned from her uncle that most people didn't like to be disturbed or bothered when they read their paper. So despite the difficulty of leaving the giant be, she sat in the quiet, thinking of the millions of questions that she was refraining from asking. It was near impossible to have so many and not ask any out loud. So while Hagrid read, she thought with her box held tight in her lap, her sweater falling from her shoulder – not daring to fix it in fear of her box being blown away if she let go of it. '_So many questions, so many questions, I'm going to loose my mind,'_ she thought, with as much self control as possible.

"Ministry o' Magic is messin' things up as usual it seems," Hagrid muttered aloud to himself, shaking his head as he turned the page.

The words were leaving Rose's mouth before she could stop herself.

"There's a Ministry of Magic?" she asked, not at all meaning to be rude by interrupting Hagrid's reading. Thankfully he didn't seem to mind all that much as he answered her.

"O' course. They even wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, no surprise there, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so they had to get someone else and we got stuck with old Cornelius Fudge," said Hagrid with a snort when he mentioned the latter man.

'_What type of name is _Fudge_?'_ Rose thought. The name reminded her of the fudge brownies her aunt and uncle would buy Dudley, the ones that she could never have, not even the tiniest bite of one unless you counted the crumbs that her cousin left on the floor.

"Bungler if ever there was one. And now Dumbledore is always pelted with owls in the mornin', askin' fer advice from Fudge," Hagrid had continued with a sneer, looking down at his paper, his lips pursed in distaste like he'd just eating something rather sour. Rose had a hard time not laughing at such a funny face. _'This Dumbledore sounds like a very busy and important man.'_

With this thought, Rose's number of questions grew even larger about Hogwarts and the magical world she was entering and how exactly everything worked in it.

"What does a Ministry of Magic _do_?" she asked him. At this point, Hagrid found himself at best to just fold his paper back up for the time as he explained things to the girl. It wasn't her fault she didn't know anything.

"Well, the Ministry's main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's witches an' wizards all up and down the country," he replied, tucking away his paper in one of his hundreds of coat pockets.

Rose still didn't perfectly understand that importance.

"Why?" It wasn't until after she'd already asked it, that she realized how ridiculous her question really was. If she had thought about it more she might have explained further before Hagrid answered.

"_Why_? Well blimey, Rose, if all the Muggles knew then everyone would be wantin' magical solutions to all their problems. It's easy to say, that we're best kept a secret and left alone." As he said it, the boat bumped rather gently, despite the speed they had been going, into the wall of the harbor, and once steady enough, they made their way up the stone steps to the street.

As Rose struggled after the giant with heavy breaths, holding her box that now also held her mother's journal, something that Hagrid had said had the oddest timing to pop into her thoughts.

"Hagrid, slow down. And did you say that Gringotts had _dragons_? As in giant fire-breathing lizards, those type of _dragons?_" she asked, trying to catch her breath, panting as she ran a bit to keep up with Hagrid's long heavy strides.

"At least that's what they say," Hagrid said, before getting a far off, dreamy look in his eyes as he shortly stroked his beard.

"By Merlin, I'd like a dragon of my own."

Rose wasn't sure whether to be horrified or awestruck by that statement.

"You'd _like _one?" she said, her voice louder with her disbelief as she stared wide-eyed and slack-jawed at Hagrid's back.

"Sure I would . I've wanted a dragon ever since I was real young."

He sounded so fond of the idea but she did not believe him; that is, before she walked right into the giant's back. They had reached the station.

Rose couldn't help the happy feeling at knowing that Hagrid knew just as much about the Muggle world and it's money as she did the Wizarding world, as he handed her a role of bills to count through and buy their tickets for a train to London. Once on the train itself, it seemed that everyone was staring at them. Hagrid himself took up two seats, and after he had sat himself down, Rose was sweetly and comically surprised when he began to knit what seemed to be turning out to be a canary-yellow circus tent. The sweet part being that the giant could knit, and the comical portion of the surprise was what exactly it was that he was knitting. _'A blanket, maybe? Or a hat of some sort?' _she thought, amused with a small smile as she drummed her fingers on her box, watching him, perfectly entertained. Hagrid and her were becoming good friends as they talked a little and he did his knitting.

"Still got yer letter, Rose, the one I gave yeh?" Hagrid asked, not looking up from counting stitches. His question had pulled her out of her thoughts and interest of his knitting skills after a moment of silence between them. Rose took her letter from the pocket of her cardigan to show him. He gave her a side-glance and smiled.

"That's good. There should be a list of everythin' you'll be needin' inside, that'll be our shopping list for yeh," he explained, turning back to his knitting as she opened her letter back up to retrieve her list from the envelope.

Pulling out the second piece of paper, Rose unfolded it – she hadn't noticed it when she had read the acceptance part of it just the night before, and even then, she had been so eager and excited she had barely been able to read the first letter calmly, without skipping over parts and tripping over her words. As she read, some things sounded rather funny, and others just peaked her curiosity even more.

"Hagrid, can we really find all these things in London?" asked Rose, as she read over one of her requirements for school; a pewter standard size 2 cauldron.

"If yeh know where to go," he smiled up from his knitting at her, placing it back into his lap, a twinkle in his eyes and looking rather jolly with knowledge of the surprise she was yet to see. Soon she would see the magic of the Wizarding. world, and it would only be half of it until she got to Hogwarts. Rose was in for a real treat.

This was Rose's first ever time visiting London, and she wasn't sure what exactly to think of it as her thoughts were preoccupied with wherever it was Hagrid was taking her to. Although she had never been to London before, it seemed Hagrid knew perfectly well where he was going, perhaps looking a bit uncomfortable by means of getting there.

As Hagrid separated the crowd in front of them, Rose made to keep up behind him by holding onto a bit of the back of his coat, suddenly feeling very helpless and small in the crowded streets. She tried not to show her shame in how dependent she seemed to be with Hagrid, like a lost child. _'I'm acting like such a baby; clinging to him,' _Rose thought, embarrassed and yet still not letting go.

As if sensing Rose's distress, Hagrid looked behind him over his shoulder at the withdrawn girl holding desperately to his thick coat.

He wasn't sure exactly what he could say to her to cheer her up, or if he should ask what had got her suddenly so sad, so instead he just reached behind him, and with a large hand, patted her head.

When Rose looked up, she was greeted with an assuring smile from the giant, one that washed all her worries away and put her at ease. Smiling back, Rose gathered her confidence, straightened her back, and walked a bit taller behind Hagrid. But she refused to slacken her grip on Hagrid's jacket as she followed close along behind him.

Stores and shops were lined up all around them but they never stopped, there were restaurants and cinemas, all ordinary things and places, filled with ordinary people.

'_I doubt I could ever find a magic wand to buy in any of these shops. Is that what that stick in my mothers box is? Her wand?' _Rose thought, looking around them intently before her eyes landed on the ground beneath them and she thought about Gringotts. Could there really be piles, mountains of gold, beneath them miles down, buried right under their feet? And what about the places Hagrid talked about, the shops that sold spell books and broomsticks? Where were they?

'_Oh no, what if this is just some horrible cruel joke the Dursley's are playing on me, to humiliate me. What if none of this stuff is real and I really am just some freak, what if what Aunt Petunia said to me was a lie?' _Her thoughts were in a panic that matched that of her exterior, frantically looking around her waiting for something, anything. She was like a trapped animal that had been tricked into a cage with food and captured because of her own hunger.

She had to think. The Dursley's were cruel but they had little sense of humor to pull something like this on her. But she supposed she could never underestimate what they could or would do to her to make her suffer. Then she looked up at Hagrid; it was true that everything he'd said was utterly unbelievable, but hadn't he rescued her from her terrible life, from those horrible Dursley's? He had saved her, and as she followed him blindly she couldn't help but trust him.

"Well, here we are," said Hagrid, coming to a sudden halt, leaving Rose running into his back for the second time that day with a small 'oomph'. Stepping back, Rose saw that they were standing in front of a _pub._

"The Leaky Cauldron. You don't know this, but it's actually a famous place." _'Famous?' _Rose thought, skeptically.

The Leaky Cauldron was a small dark place that she wouldn't have noticed if Hagrid hadn't stopped and pointed it out when they came to it. You would even think it would stick out amongst the bookshop across it, or the record shop. But no one, not a single one of the hurrying souls that passed them by took a glance at it, as if they _couldn't_ see it. Rose had the oddest feeling that was exactly the case; that only Hagrid and herself could really see it. But before she could even say anything to Hagrid about it, the man was ushering her inside.

Hagrid had said the place was famous, so despite the outside Rose had tried not to judge a book by its cover, but the inside wasn't much different from the outside. It was a dark and shabby pub, matching its exterior appearance. Its customers were a few old women in the corner, tiny glasses of sherry in their hands, and one of them was smoking from a long pipe. There was a little man in a top hat who was currently talking to the bartender, there were others as well, but still too many for her to take in with all of their detailed appearances, and although they were all strange to her, Rose also felt a sense of familiarity. But she did notice that everyone seemed to know Hagrid.

The buzz of chatter that had echoed about the pub seemed to die down when they entered, as those in the bar waved and smiled pleasantly at Hagrid, greeting the giant as they made their way further into the dank pub towards the bar. When the bartender noticed Hagrid, he grinned expectantly at the man, greeting him with a short friendly 'welcome back' as he put away a dirty glass and reached for a clean one.

"The usual I presume, Hagrid?" he asked, putting the new glass on the bar, about ready to fill it up for Hagrid. The giant declined as they reached the bar, his hand on Rose's shoulder in front of him, who seemed rather shy and out of place, but he just gave her a tiny unnoticeable pat of comfort.

'_Are all these people witches and wizards?' _She didn't dare speak her question out loud in fear of being thought dumb or silly if the answer was obvious, as she looked around a little more at all the strangely dressed people. Although there was one girl who was rather pretty and her clothes seemed more modern but still very different. Her hair was changing all different colors and she looked like she must have been at least seventeen or eighteen; she was with two older people in a dark shady corner, the farthest away from everyone. The oldest woman was strikingly beautiful, elegant with half of her hair pulled back neatly, and the way she held herself in her seat screamed sophistication but she didn't seem arrogant at all as she smiled lovingly at the girl across her, who seemed to be excited as she waved her arms all around with a grin. Rose couldn't hear them with the rest of the chatter in the pub. The man sitting next to the woman was the complete opposite; his clothes were a mess, wrinkled, with his coat hanging off one shoulder. His hand was right on top of the woman's next to him, who seemed to stop the pretty-haired girl's speech, only to fix the man's collar for a minute and pull his coat back on properly.

However, as Rose watched the woman scold the man, all she could see was love in their eyes, and one word came to mind looking at the three. _'Family', _but soon enough they were leaving through the same door she and Hagrid had just come in from. Her eyes followed them until the door shut behind them and her attention was back to Hagrid and the bartender, only a few moments having passed during her observation of the three.

Rose tried not to look so nervous, and her distraction from watching the family seemed to have lifted some of the weight, if not for the feeling of dread that was starting to crawl into the pit of her stomach.

"-...business. Helping young Rose here shop for her school supplies."

She caught Hagrid halfway into what he was saying to the bartender; Tom, his great big hand clapping her shoulder again in a gesture that had Rose close to falling down, her knees buckling under her.

Then the bartender was peering down at her, his hands stilling from the glass he had started to clean.

"Good Lord, it couldn't be… is this-?"

And as she fidgeted in her spot from the scrutinizing and intense gaze of the old man, Rose noted how the Leaky Cauldron began to quiet down a bit, until the buzzing of conversation was a mere hum in the air.

"Well bless my soul… Rose Potter." He had only said her name as a whisper, but it must have been louder than she had thought as the whole pub went silent, all eyes on her as Tom the bartender bent himself over the counter to reach out and seize her hand to shake, almost falling all the way over to get to her, but what shocked Rose were the tears in the man's eyes.

"Welcome back, Ms. Potter, good Lord, welcome back!"

And Rose was speechless; she was starting to feel rather uncomfortable about everyone staring at her, and she felt very much like that snake at the zoo that had been trapped on display for everyone to stick their noses against the glass. Hagrid, on the other hand, was beaming.

TBC.

**And remember that if you like this chapter, let me know in a review. NO FLAMES please.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Another big thanks to my beta Whatisthisnonsense.**

Welcome to Gringotts

There was the scraping and clatter of chairs sounding in Rose's ears, the only warning she had, before she was surrounded. It had happened so fast that Rose wasn't at all positive what was happening for the first ten seconds, before she found her hand being seized constantly as she found herself, willingly or not, shaking the hands of everyone in the Leaky Cauldron. One or two people even hugged her, it was overwhelming and she was so confused that it felt like her head was ready to start spinning.

"Doris Crockford, Ms. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last," a woman whom had been sitting at the bar said excitedly, taking her hand in both of hers and shaking it wildly before Rose was pulled away from her to shake hands with another.

"Oh how proud, Ms. Potter, I'm just so very proud."

"Always wanted to shake your hand – look at me, I'm all a flutter!"

"What an honor, Ms. Potter, to be gifted with such a chance to meet you."

"You're a bit smaller than I had imagined, Ms. Potter, but no less pretty as expected!"

'_So many people, so many strangers like me, and so many hands. I think I'm starting to get a bit dizzy,'_ Rose thought, having little chance to say an actual complete word or sentence as she tried to breathe amongst the mass that surrounded her, trapped against Hagrid. And then she was turned to face another person, her hand seized just as she made to try and straighten her spectacles from falling further down the bridge of her nose.

This time Rose recognized the person shaking her hand, her arm ready to be pulled off as he introduced himself to her.

"The names Diggle, Ms. Potter, Dedalus Diggle," he offered, enthusiastic, and Rose finally seemed to find her chance to talk, to say something as she recognized the man.

"I've seen you before, once, you bowed to me in a shop!" she said, watching as his top hat fell from his head in his shared excitement. She remembered that day, her uncle had left a rather nasty bruise that took up her entire upper arm from how hard he had been squeezing it when he pulled her out of the shop after that. Obviously, the pleasure of that first meeting was all Mr. Diggle's.

"She remembers; can you believe that? Did you all hear it, she remembers me!" he cried, about ready to dance atop the tables as he turned and looked around at everyone, his arms above him as he waved his hat over his head whilst gloating to the crowd.

'_Why is that so amazing? Why am _I_so amazing, to have all these people want to shake my hand and meet me? I really am starting to get rather annoyed with all this without an explanation.' _Rose wasn't sure if this was the same question as another from the other night, or if it counted as a new one to add to her stack. Her irritation rose with every step further back she was forced to make as yet another question was answered.

It was to say Rose was more than relieved when Hagrid finally shooed the lot of them off for a bit. That Doris Crockford just kept coming back for more. And Rose just knew it wouldn't last long before they were back again, attacking her like starved hounds on a piece of meat until they were biting at each other because they couldn't get enough.

With Hagrid's body turned to block the rest of the crowd from her, if only for a short moment to breathe, she found the bartender placing a glass of water in front of her. She smiled and thanked him before gulping the cool liquid down her parched throat, terribly glad for a cure to her dry mouth and a great relief after all the excitement.

Putting the glass back on the counter she thanked Tom again, before finding herself facing a pale young man, still sitting on his stool looking rather fidgety, and more nervous than she had been when she first entered the pub. His eye was even twitching. Something about the man seemed to put her off, a feeling that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end and her bones ache. And she had to bite her tongue to keep from gasping as for the first time she remembered a green burst of light, but she did shiver from it. Her green eyes looked into his dark ones, and for a moment she swore his cautious and scared eyes narrowed into a glare at her, but it happened within less than a second for her to believe it actually happened.

"Ah, Professor Quirrell I didn't see you there," Hagrid greeted apologetically to the man, who just gave a twitchy smile and stood from his seat to stand in front of Rose.

"P-P-Potter, c-cant t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you," Professor Quirrell stuttered his enthusiasm in meeting her, ringing his hands nervously in front of himself.

"Rose, this is Professor Quirrell, he'll be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Hagrid introduced them, looking down at the girl expectantly, and watching as she turn a bit pink in the face with realization that she had yet to greet the man in return.

"Oh, how rude of me, I'm sorry. It's very nice to meet you, Professor Quirrell." She apologized with a smile as she lifted her sore arm and held her hand out to shake his, like with all the others, and he flinched away from it. After staring at her small pale hand he grasped it in a hold that lasted no more then two seconds before withdrawing.

"F-fearfully f-f-fascinating subject. N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?"

The strange feeling had gone, and though still on her guard, she giggled childishly at the humor of the young man's stuttering with an innocent smile not at all meant to be rude. Professor Quirrell seemed to take no offence to her laughter, and brought up her need to still purchase her books, simple small talk, mentioning that he needed to pick up a new book on vampires himself. Rose watched, amused how terrified he became at the mere thought of the creatures, but the only thought she had of the topic was: _'Vampire's are real? Does that mean werewolves are too?'_

When the masses had enough of Quirrell keeping Rose to himself, they attempted to break through the wall that was Hagrid's body, just in time as the giant himself came to the conclusion that they had spent enough time in the pub and had best get all of Rose's shopping done that was needed. Clearing his throat, Hagrid attempted to excuse both of them.

"Well, we must be getting on now – lots ter buy. Come on, Rose."

Professor Quirrell accepted their leave and bid Rose a farewell that she graciously returned.

Sadly, it seemed the others didn't agree with them leaving so soon, or at least, Rose, and made to try and stop them. Even with Hagrid's size, it was proving difficult to plow through, and people kept trying to grab on to Rose, shaking her hand and clinging to her clothes. The group were like a load of animals, and even Hagrid, the patient gentle giant, was becoming rather annoyed with their behavior until finally he just grabbed Rose, her box and all, and held her high out of reach of everyone as they spent another five minutes trying to make it to another door that would lead out of the bar. Only when they got to an exit, did he feel safe enough to put her down, seeing as how he wouldn't have been able to get through if he was holding her like he was.

"They're not usually like tha'," he told her, in an unsaid apology as he dusted himself off. They were now in a small walled courtyard, with nothing but a few trashcans in the corner and a few little weeds here and there.

"It's ok, Hagrid, it was just a bit more attention than I'm used to," she said, finally catching her breath and smoothing out her clothes. She felt exhausted.

"See, Rose? Yer famous, just like I told yeh." Hagrid grinned at her, walking to the wall across the door. If only she could have seen the brilliant side to the situation that he clearly did.

"But why am I famous, Hagrid? You still haven't told me. And how do all those people know who I am when _I _still don't even know who I am?" she pressed, coming to stand next to him. Hagrid took out his umbrella first before giving her a sideways glance into her pleading eyes.

"I'm sorry, Rose, I'm just not sure I'm the right person to tell yeh that."

But she was still stubborn, ambitious and desperate to know more.

"I swear Hagrid, I'm going to get the truth out of you before I go back to the Dursley's. I have the right to know," she told him with determination, but in the meantime Rose knew when she was at a loss and gave up asking as Hagrid sighed heavily, before going on to counting the bricks of the wall in front of them.

"Three up... two across" Hagrid muttered thoughtfully, nodding his head before turning back to speak to her. That twinkle was in his eyes again.

"Might want to step back, Rose," he warned, taking a step back himself. Lifting his umbrella, he tapped the wall three times with the pointed end of it, and Rose watched closely as the bricks that Hagrid had tapped quivered – they wriggled – and a hole formed in the center. As the bricks clacked and scraped against each other they continued to shuffle – the hole grew and widened, opening up before them until it was a thin archway big enough for even Hagrid, if not bigger, that lead on to a cobbled street that twisted and turned ahead until it was out of site. But that wasn't the truly amazing part, no, not even close.

"Welcome, Rose," Hagrid said, "to Diagon Alley." He grinned at the girl's pure amazement; her eyes bright and sparkling like polished jade and her cheeks a rosy glow that lit her whole face up as she took in the sight of it all.

It was more than amazing; it was absolutely astonishing.

Slipping her tiny hand into Hagrid's with confidence, Rose stepped through the archway and onto the cobblestone, and suddenly Rose thought of a bed time story she once overheard her aunt reading to Dudley, about a girl and a yellow brick road. How ironic then, even funny, that she did recall there was also a wizard in that story.

Looking quickly over her shoulder from where they stepped out from, she was just in time to see the last bricks slink back in place to make a solid wall again.

Turning back around, she could see how the sun shone down on everything, and everyone Rose wished she had at least a dozen more eyes to see it all with. She was constantly turning her head in every direction as they walked up along the street.

"First, we gotta get yer money, than we can get to buying the things you'll be needin' off yer list."

But Rose only nodded dumbly, just as a goofy smile lit up her face.

This was it, this was magic, this was her parents world and she was standing in it. She could feel the magic and energy pulse around her like she was in the center of a heart. It was in the shops, it was in the people, the creatures, it was in the air above her and the earth beneath her feat. It was rich and alive, flowing and free, dancing to a tuneless song. It was incredible and enchanting, and she hadn't even seen all of it yet.

She followed Hagrid through the street mindlessly as she tried to look at everything at once, down to the smallest details, the shops, the things set outside them, the fascinating people doing their shopping. It was all just-

"Incredible!" she breathed, and she faintly heard Hagrid chuckle next to her. There was a plump woman standing outside an Apothecary shaking her head as they passed by, and Rose could hear her say "Dragon liver, sixteen sickles an ounce, they're absolutely mad…"

'_Dragon liver?'_

Despite the bustle of the street, Rose still could hear the low, soft hooting that came from a dark shop, and there was a fruit bat hanging happily upside down from its sign reading _Eeylops Owl Emporium_ – _Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown and Snowy_. She was amazed by how many breeds of owl's they sold. She liked the pretty Snowy owl outside, the one that was in the biggest cage.

In front of another shop were several children of Rose's age, mostly boys, with their faces pressed against the window of a shop that had a broomstick on display in a halo of light. She was sure there were plenty of other brooms inside beyond the window but it was that particular broom they all seemed to be making a fuss over.

"It's the new Nimbus 2000, incredible. I heard it's the fastest ever made to date!" she heard one of the boys say, his nose flat against the glass.

'_I wonder what it's going to be like to fly on a broom, really fly in the air? I hope I don't fall my first time,' _Rose thought eagerly, hoping for adventure, looking back over her shoulder past Hagrid and lingering her interested stare on the Nimbus 2000 as they passed the shop.

There were shops selling robes, and Rose remembered from her list that she would have to return to one of them for some of her own. There were shops selling telescopes and other strange silver instruments used for who knew what that Rose had never even seen before, the windows stacked with barrels to the full, filled with bat spleens and eel's eyes, _'Ew', _then there was the teetering piles of spell books almost as tall as her. There were quills, rolls of parchment, ink, potion bottles and globes of the moon… So many things her eyes were near popping out of her sockets.

Finally, they stood in front of Gringotts bank at the intersection of a crossroad, it was a snowy white building that towered tall over all the little shops with crooked columns, actually the whole building looked rather tilted to the side like a giant wind had tried to blow it over. They made their way up stone steps to the burnished bronze doors at the top, and walked through them, only to be met with a second pair of doors after the first, but this time they were silver with words engraved on them that read:

_Enter, stranger, but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed,_

_For those who take, but do not earn,_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn._

_So if you seek beneath our floors_

_A treasure that was never yours,_

_Thief, you have been warned, beware_

_Of finding more than treasure there._

She felt a chill run down her spine, and Rose didn't even realized she had read aloud until Hagrid spoke to her right after she was done.

"Like I said before; yeh'd have to be mad ter try an' rob it."

Rose silently agreed.

This time when they entered through the silver doors they were welcomed by two goblins ?. Or at least that's what Rose assumed they were.

"Hagrid?" she said a bit warily, looking at the two creatures in front of them. They reached to Rose's waist in height, with pointed ears and very long fingers and feet.

"Yep, they're goblins. Clever creatures but very ill tempered, it's best you stay close," he answered her rather carefully and quietly. The two goblins bowed to them as they entered the marble hall, a long red carpet rolled out down on the floor with tall mahogany desks lined on either side of it.

Smiling at the two goblins, she stuck to Hagrid although she felt no threat from either of them as they let them pass further inside. There were about a hundred more goblins seated on high stools behind the long mahogany counters, they seemed to be either scribbling something down in large ledgers, stamping papers, weighing coins using brass scales, or examining gleaming precious jewels and stones through eye glasses seated on their long pointed noses.

And behind them were more doors than there were goblins leading out from the hall, and Rose watched as a number of goblins lead people in and out through those doors. Hagrid lead them to a counter with a seemingly free goblin.

Looking up – like she always had to with Hagrid – she watched quizzically as he stood straighter and cleared his throat before speaking to the creature, and Rose realized with great amusement that Hagrid had made his voice deeper.

"Ms. Rose Potter would like to make a withdrawal."

Looking up from his scribbling, the goblin peered over his glasses at Hagrid and then with slow, interested movement, held onto the front ledge of his counter with long fingers and leaned forward over his papers to peer down his nose at Rose below. Even the goblins knew who she was by name, it would seem.

"And does Ms. Potter have the key to her vault?" the unnamed goblin asked, and Rose's eyes widened when she saw rows of small pointed teeth between those thin lips. She wasn't really frightened or scared; it was more of a surprise.

"Got it here somewhere."

And the goblin snapped his head to the side to stare at Hagrid, curious that the giant would hold the key and not the girl, but seemingly satisfied that there was no foul, he unhooked his fingers and moved back into his seat. One long-fingered hand over the other, he waited on Hagrid to find the key that was needed if Rose wanted any money.

And so both goblin and girl watched, rather patiently, as Hagrid searched through his many assortment-filled pockets, and she could feel that the goblin was relieved he wasn't emptying the contents of those pockets onto his counter.

It was fun being with Hagrid, and Rose already trusted him so much. It was an incredible feeling to have someone treat her as an equal, with respect and dignity. Looking down at herself, she wondered if maybe she should buy some new clothes whilst she was there. Her blouse was stained and even a little ripped, and her skirt had to held up by a belt around her waist it was so big. She didn't want anyone to treat her nicely out of charity, if only she could buy one outfit that would look smart, perhaps then she wouldn't look and feel so ragged.

Rose wanted to look nice when she met new people in this world. It wasn't that she cared about looks at all, she never had, but her Aunt Petunia always said that a first impression for anyone, is firstly determined by appearance, before one decided to have a continued acquaintance with the person in which way, in Rose's case, would hopefully turn into a lasting friendship.

Rose was not a prejudice child, she didn't judge others by appearance of even background and looked past all that – not that she ever got much of a chance to do so with anyone – but she didn't know if the people and children of the wizarding world were the same. She didn't want to be alone because of her ratty clothes when she desperately wanted to make friends.

'_Does it even matter? Aren't we all going to be wearing matching robes at school?' _

But then there was the chance she could have enough luck to make a friend before school even started. It would be wonderful to go to Hogwarts knowing at least one other child there. But she wasn't desperate.

'_What am I thinking? I want to be liked for me, not my clothes, and certainly not for my __**scar **__and name,' _Rose thought, her confidence resurfacing as she regained a hold on herself. She was eleven and she had no reason to change herself or her opinions. She didn't judge others, so why should she care if they judge her by appearance as she never cared when Muggles did it?

'_This is me, and I like me.'_ And there was her pride showing, a healthy amount of it that was enough to keep her head high as she walked. She would make friends _without_ new clothes, and until then she still had – and felt she always would – her great friend, Hagrid.

"Hah, there it is!" Hagrid beamed, holding up a tiny gold key between his fingers and up in the air so the goblin could see it clearly.

Inclining his head forward the goblin scrutinized the key. He said not a word, his mouth an even straight line as he leaned back in his seat after checking the key, in the silent approval that they seemed to have the key they needed, and readied himself for the next step in having Rose make a successful withdrawal from the bank. The goblin was stopped before he could make a move off his stool, by Hagrid who seemed to have one more request of the bank.

"Ah, I almost forgot, there's one more thing. I've a letter from Professor Dumbledore," Hagrid said, puffing out his chest proudly with his shoulders back, sounding rather important this time, only taking a second and without even looking to retrieve the Headmaster's letter to hand it to the goblin.

"It's about you-know-what, in vault you-know-which," he whispered low this time, leaning in closer to the counter so the goblin could hear him as he examined the outside of the envelope first, before looking up at Hagrid whom was now leaning back again.

Patiently, Hagrid waited as the goblin read the letter closely, as Rose peered curiously up at the two, interested in Hagrid's riddling words.

'_What was Hagrid talking about?'_ thought Rose, She had this feeling that whatever it was, it was something very important, even more so than Hagrid made it sound, there had to be so much more to it.

Once the goblin was done reading the letter, he folded the paper back up and slid it into the envelope, handing it back to the giant.

"Very well then, I will have someone to take you to both your vaults right away. Griphook!" he told them, calling out and watching as an even smaller goblin came walking up to them.

The little goblin gave a bow before pulling them along and out of the hall through one of the many side doors.

"Hagrid, what was that about? What's the you-know-what in vault you-know-which?" Rose asked, Hagrid walking next to her.

"Can't tell yeh that, Rose. Hogwarts business, very top secret," he replied mysteriously, looking down at her with the corner of his eye darkly, but not threatening or menacingly at all.

Figuring she wasn't going to get an answer after _that_ explanation, Rose shrugged her shoulders and let it go for now, focusing on where they were being lead through. It was a narrow stone passageway, lit by the light of flaming torches mantled on the walls, and after being lead further it started to slope downward until they stopped at a railway track.

_'This must be how they get to all the vaults, Hagrid did say it went hundreds of miles below London,' _she thought, looking down at each end of the tracks as far as her eyes could see.

When Griphook whistled, and a small cart that was just big enough for Hagrid came hurtling down the track towards them, Rose felt herself be pulled back by her collar and tilted her head back to look up into Hagrid's face.

"Gotta be careful, don't want yer head flyin' off before yeh even get to Hogwarts, now do we?"

She just shook her head, blinking with wide eyes. She hadn't realized she had been leaning over so far, and once more saved by reliable Hagrid.

"Sorry," she apologized, sheepishly.

Hagrid just grinned and patted her pigtailed head.

The cart stopped in front of them and they climbed in. Hagrid went first with a little difficulty squeezing in, but it wasn't as bad as the train they had to take to get to London, and then it was Rose's turn to crawl in next to her caretaker. With Griphook in the front they went hurtling down the tracks faster than the cart had arrived.

Rose's eyes stung and turned teary from the cold air that rushed past them, but she kept them open, she wasn't even sure if she _could_ close her eyes at that point. At first they had just gone straight, before she found them making a sharp turn that almost knocked her out of the rattling cart if it wasn't for Hagrid's hand on her shoulder keeping her seated, and from there it was a maze of twisting tracks and passages, going right, left, back and sideways as the cart steered itself. Griphook just sat, un-phased, the cart knowing by itself where to go.

Rose just wasn't sure of the directions, even angles they had made on this rollercoaster after a while and she was suddenly grateful that she had a strong stomach, as the ride didn't bother her so much as just make her a little disoriented.

Her stinging eyes wide and unblinking, Rose swore she had seen a burst of wild flames, '_A dragon?'_ her mind had shouted the possibility, as she turned and twisted her body around expectantly in hopes to see if it really was one or not but it was too late. She had missed it. But before she could even feel disappointed they were all too suddenly rolling down a steep – but short – slope in a plunge of speed. The sudden shock of the drop was too much for Rose and her stomach and heart flew up into her throat and came out as a high pitched scream.

Clutching her chest over her small, frantically beating little heart, Rose slumped down in her seat. That had scared her, if only from the shock of practically being lifted into the air while the cart went on rolling down the impossibly steep drop that it was practically off the track. Rose swore her heart was ready to explode as she felt it pulse through her palm; banging against her feeble ribcage.

Next to her, Hagrid was looking rather gray in the gills himself, and she patted him sympathetically on the hand with a smile before they began passing an underground lake. And it was near the lake where these huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the floor and ceiling, like the fangs and teeth of some giant monster.

"Back at school – well Muggle-school, that is, I never did learn the difference between stalagmites and stalactites. Do you know, Hagrid?" Rose asked, having to near-yell so he could hear her over the noise of the speeding cart they were riding in.

"It be best yeh don't be askin' me any questions right now, Rose, I think I'm gonna be sick!" Hagrid told her, his face taking on a pale shade of green as he swayed with the movement of the cart. She felt rather bad for the bloke.

"It's ok, Hagrid, I'm sure we'll get there soon," she tried comforting him, and she would also rather not have him throw up on her in the cart, either. Thankfully, just as she spoke to Hagrid, their cart came to a stop, and although the goblin seemed impatient as he hopped from the cart onto the platform and started tapping a long foot, Hagrid took his time to let the nausea pass. Once his face was its normal shade, the giant was his back to his old, chipper self again.

"Lamp, please?" asked Griphook.

And now feeling better, Hagrid unhooked the lamp from its post on the cart behind him, and handed it to the little Goblin who took it and turned to the vault's door. Putting the lamp down, Griphook turned around with hand out, looking up at Hagrid who had finally managed to get out of the cart.

"Key, please?" Hagrid handed him the little golden key, and Rose watched the goblin walk to the large metal door, moving aside a round, hinged cover of his height, and insert the key into the right slot and turn it.

Slowly, far too slowly, the door began to creak open. Anxious as she was, Rose stood still as she waited for the door to open enough for her to see inside. She hadn't expected very much, she knew of course that her parents had left her something or else they wouldn't be standing where they were, and neither was she greedy. She would be happy with whatever they had left her. So when the heavy vault door moved that last bit need for her to see inside she released a breath she hadn't even known she was holding in.

'_This is too much. I definitely did not expect my parents to leave me this much,' _she thought, as her jaw dropped at the sight and contents of her vault in front of her. Mountains of stacked gleaming gold coins filled the vault, columns of silver and piles of those little bronze knuts. All of it was hers, from her parents.

"Now you really didn't think that your parents had gone and left you with nothing, did you?" said Hagrid.

TBC

**I love and thrive off of positive reviews so those are mcuh appreciated.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A huge thanks to my Beta Whatisthisnonsense**

You're the Girl-Who-Lived

Hagrid helped Rose pile some of her newfound fortune into a bag, just enough for what she would need for school supplies and last her a couple of terms, and at her request a little extra, still having a dozen times more than enough to last her the rest of her life in the vault. He explained to her which ones were which to make things easier for her when she did her shopping without having to ask for help.

"Now pay attention, Rose. The gold ones are Galleons. Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle. It's really easy, so do you understand?" he asked her.

Rose nodded her head; it wasn't a hard system to memorize so she didn't think she would have any problem purchasing what she needed.

"That's good," Hagrid said with a happy grin, tying closed the free red velvet bag they were given by Griphook that was offered to all costumers of Gringotts when making a withdrawal.

"Now that we got yeh enough for yer things and than some, we'll just be keeping the rest o' it safe for yeh." he told her patting her bag before holding it out for her to take.

"There yeh go, Rose. Make sure to keep it close on yeh." With that advice given, Hagrid turned back to Griphook.

"We're all set, thank you, that'll be it from this vault so if yeh wouldn't mind closing it fer us-" Rose heard Hagrid tell the goblin, the rest of his request going unsaid though it wasn't needed. Griphook only gave a grunt of understanding in reply, before waddling towards the door of the vault with the prepared thought of shutting it and returning it's key to them. Whilst he did this, with quick hands Rose tied the remaining length of the golden rope of her bag to the belt holding up her long skirt. Once she was done and her money was secured to her waist she looked back into the vault, _her _vault, and explored it with her eyes as it slowly closed.

Money, gold. That was the first thing she'd seen upon looking inside, not old antiques or the trunks filled with belongings hidden in the very back, but the gleaming glare of gold and silver. Mounds and mounds of shiny coins all organized, separated and piled high within.

'_If the Dursley's had ever known I had this small fortune they would have taken it all from me faster than I could blink.' _

Her aunt and uncle had always complained about how much she had cost them to keep, feed and clothe.

'_But how could I have ever cost them so much when I eat the leftovers from their meals and wear hand-me-down clothes? They never spend anything on me, or at least far less than they do on themselves. And they get free housework labor from me!' _Rose thought, rather bitterly, thinking of her uncle's many rants about his 'hard earned money going to a wretched, worthless brat' like her. And to think that all this time, she'd had her own small fortune, all her own, sitting untouched; waiting, deep under London. And the Dursley's could never touch it.

The moans of the hinges rang loudly in her ears as the door came closer to a complete close, it already having been blocking half of her view of the inside. It just needed to swing a few more feet and it would be gone, all of it, once more waiting for her next visit. It wasn't even about the money; it was the knowledge that it was left for her by her mum and dad. With a loud thud and the clicks and clanks of the lock, the vault was sealed closed.

"Come on, Rose, just got one more stop before we can be off to the surface for your shopping," Hagrid bellowed watching as she just stood there stiff in front of the vault's door as it closed before she spun around at his call for her.

"Sorry Hagrid, I suppose seeing all that gold was a bigger shock for me than I first thought," she told him with a sheepish chuckle, as she made her way back to his side looking rather embarrassed with herself.

"That's alright, Rose, we just need to be going is all. No time to dawdle." With that said they started stepping back into cart.

Squeezing himself in, Hagrid turned to Griphook in front of them.

"Just need to go to vault seven-hundred-and-thirteen now, please, and do you think we can go just a bit slower this time?" he asked politely, the plea of his request nonexistent in his tone as he spoke to the goblin.

Griphook didn't even bother to look back behind him when he answered Hagrid, "One speed only."

'_Poor Hagrid.'_

Griphook may have said that, but as they went even further and deeper into the underground they seemed to gain speed. The slopes were even steeper and deeper than the first one, pulling a scream from Rose more than once whenever they went down one.

'_I cant decide if this is thrilling or terrifying,'_ was what Rose thought, as they met another sudden drop and a scream rose from her throat mixed with a giggle, her pigtails whipping behind her in flailing strands of silken red hair as she held onto Hagrid's arm, shaking until the drops came to an end and they were bulleting forward around close, tight corners once more.

In her seat, Rose shivered. The air had started becoming colder and colder, until the rattling of her teeth near matched the volume of the rattling of the cart. She wouldn't be surprised if her breath turned white, if they stayed in the light long enough for her to see it, rather than the passing flickers of torches as they passed. She was a little disoriented but she was sure the adrenalin from the ride was beginning to overpower all other senses including fear, but never her curiosity. The proof of that being; as she leaned over the side of the cart, which shook and rattled over an underground ravine, in her attempt to see if she could catch a glimpse of what could be down at the dark bottom below, but with a sickly groan, Hagrid pulled her back by the scruff of her neck and tucked her into his side away from trouble.

Suddenly Rose remembered reading somewhere that some mother animals tended to do the same thing with their newborn babies when they try to wander off or get a little too curious about something. But she shrugged the thought off and any similarities between that and herself. She was not going to compare herself to a baby, Hagrid just reminded her of a mother bear was all, and that was the only similarity between the two.

Apparently, vault seven-hundred-and-thirteen had no key; it didn't need one, since it had no keyhole, meaning that the door had to be unlocked some other way. Rose guessed that those means were of magical nature.

Unlike when they had arrived at her vault, Hagrid didn't stay in the cart, and took to standing back on steady ground and leaning against the wall for support. The man was an absolute mess.

"Are you alright, Hagrid?" Rose asked with worry, "You really don't look so good." The hunched over mass of a man only groaned loudly and shook his head.

"There, there, Hagrid, you'll be ok, just take slow deep breaths – in – out. That's it, in a few minutes you're going to feel all better," she spoke to him as if to an ill child, sincerity and kindness thick behind her words as she patted his arm and attempted – in rubbing soothing circles on his back; a difficult try do to their height difference – to comfort him, just like she had seen her Aunt Petunia do with Dudley whenever he had fallen sick in bed. She did this until he felt well enough to stand up straight. Saying his thanks to Rose, he was able to calm his lurching stomach.

"That helped a lot, that was really nice of ya." This time it was Rose's turn to beam. She had helped.

They were standing in front of the vault's door now and something didn't feel right, suddenly Rose's head was aching and her scar itched. Griphook had yet to even open the vault and she still felt it through the barrier that was the door in front of her, a rippling wave that went right through her. It was a feeling of foreboding, of bad things to come.

"Stand back," Griphook had ordered them, startling Rose as she took a step or two backwards from the door. The feeling was still there nagging at her as she tried to instead concentrate on how the little goblin was going to open the vault if it had no keyhole. Griphook, having given them the stern warning, stepped up to the door and lifted his hand to the it, running a single long finger down it with a claw like nail. Just like that, the door melted away into nothing.

"Wicked." She was sure there were many other terms that could have described how she felt, but she made no point in dwelling over her word choice as the goblin turned and looked at her with a toothy smile.

"Indeed. And if anyone other than a Gringotts goblin tried that, they would be sucked through the door by magic and into the vault; trapped inside," informed Griphook, taking in how the girl's green eyes seemed to grow bigger as she looked at him, and then to the door before returning her eyes to him, which were now back to their original almond shape with that familiar gleam of curiosity and interest.

"How often than do you check to see if anyone's inside?" she asked him, figuring a person –even a wizard – could only survive so long within a vault before someone came to get them out, just the same as trying to find your way out to the top and starving to death.

"Once every ten years," he answered darkly, giving a rather chilling and short cackle of a laugh to match his grin. She could only assume that people didn't often steal from vaults of this caliber for, if so, Rose could only imagine the pile of thieves within. The gruesome image left her with a slight tremble.

'_Scary, these goblins are,' _Rose thought, not of the creatures themselves, but of their vicious nature and what they seemed to be capable of.

'_Definitely the best to guard a bank,' _she thought with little doubt or argument. They didn't seem evil, though – dangerous and clever, but not evil.

With the vault now open and Hagrid's sickness calmed, the giant clearly remembered the business at hand, and moved towards the new opening of the vault.

With her previous feeling of foreboding momentarily forgotten, Rose allowed her innocent imagination to replace it, imagining that whatever was placed into such a high security vault it must be extraordinary. Maybe fabulous enchanted jewels, things worth a hundred fold more than what she had in her own vault.

But as she leaned forward and around Hagrid with eagerness to see what was inside, she noticed for the first time that it was very dimly lit inside and thought it to be empty at first, but under closer inspection and a squint of her eyes she saw that as dark as it was, there was a single bright beam of light coming down in the very center under which she saw a tiny package.

It couldn't have been any bigger than her fist, and was wrapped up in tan paper with a red string tied around it. Her head started to hurt again, she didn't feel that same energy and power she had before, but the sight of the package, even when she didn't know what was in it, made her scar go from a slight itch to the start of a burn.

Hagrid stepped in and took the package from the center, before tucking it safely inside one of his pockets.

"It's best if we keep this our lil' secret, strictly suppose to be a Hogwarts secret," he said to her, patting his coat over where he had put the package and the pain in her head started to dissolve. Hagrid was putting his faith in Rose.

She could feel the seriousness of the request, even more so than when she had been asked not to tell anyone at Hogwarts that Hagrid had used magic, and she nodded her head with a smile to assure him that she wouldn't speak a word. He beamed at her, his face going sour as he spoke his next words.

"Now we gotta get back into this infernal thing." It was obvious he wasn't looking forward to the wild ride back.

"Don't worry Hagrid, this time I'm sure it will seem faster going back than it was getting here. And I promise I won't talk this time or worry you," Rose swore, as she patted his back, laughing as he gave a whine of protest before it was fallowed by a sigh of defeat and, clearly very disgruntled, he stepped back into the cart and she followed.

Just as Rose had said; the return trip back seemed to take a much shorter amount of time than it had on their journey to the vault's. And after another wild and nauseating cart ride for Hagrid, their business at Gringotts was over. Thanking Griphook for his help, Rose followed Hagrid back up and out of the bank.

The sun shone down on them, its warmth erasing any remaining chill in her body from the cold of Gringotts underground. For just a second, Rose tilted her head back up to the sky with closed eyes, and just let her skin absorb that precious light and warmth with a sigh. When she opened her eyes, that familiar eager gleam in her eyes and glow to her cheeks returned as she looked all around her at the dazzling sight of Diagon Alley's still-many mysterious shops mysterious shops.

Where was she to start, when she had such a large sum of money strapped to her waist? More money than Dudley would have if he ever saved up his allowance, and that was a lot, considering how much his parents rewarded him for doing nothing.

"Hagrid, can we go in there really quickly?" she asked, tugging on her friend's sleeve as she bounced on her heals, pointing towards a shop with a large pair of round spectacles for the sign above the door.

"Please, Hagrid? These one's are too strong for my eyes," Rose pleaded, looking doe-eyed up at him with a smile.

The first shop amongst what must have been around a hundred magical stores Rose could see at that moment was a optometrist. It was only after she repeated her own request in her head, did she realize how she must have sounded and was ready to tell Hagrid to ignore her and for them to continue on, but she didn't get the chance.

"Hmm, alright then. Don't see why not, as long as we make sure to get all yer stuff for school, after, of course."

Beaming like a beacon of joy, her face stretched with such a wide and taut smile that Rose was almost certain her cheeks would split as she pulled Hagrid after her towards the shop. Was it okay for her to be this happy over a new pair of glasses?

Once inside, Hagrid kept to standing close to the door, unsure; having assumed he would just wait outside for her , but she had pulled him inside before he could object. Now he stood watching the girl look into the glass cases with bright eyes that reflected her glassy stare on each different colored and shaped glasses the shop had to offer. Soon enough, the shopkeeper took notice of her, after finishing talking to an elderly customer, a bit older than himself, and handing him his purchase.

"Top o' the morning, missy. What can my shop do for you, on this fine day?" the man asked with an accent, as he made his way towards her on the other side of the counter to stand in front of her. Looking up, she noticed how the mans eyes immediately widened at the sight of her scar, before returning to normal as he leaned on the counter rather smoothly for his age.

"Aye, so it be Ms. Potter, then? I sold your father a similar pair of glasses to the ones you're wearing now, before he even started at Hogwarts. What can I do for you?" He was very casual as he spoke to her, in contrast to with the older customer and seemed to know who she was.

"It's my glasses. They're a bit too big for my face and are always sliding down, and the lenses or also too thick for me." Rose didn't even bother to mention the obvious cracks in the lenses and the tape holding the glasses together at the bridge from when Dudley had broken them.

"I see. Well, I could fix all that for you, or perhaps, were you thinking of buying a completely new pair?" the clerk asked, getting down to business, finally.

"A new pair, please? I really like those ones," said Rose, a bit more comfortable with herself as she spoke to him, and pointed to the glasses she was referring to, hovering inside the counter above a soft cushion that lined the entire bottom beneath them.

The pair of glasses she was interested in were very simple, not much different from her current ones in model and color, except that these had more oval-shaped lenses, instead of bottle cap round ones, and had frames made of a very dark silver colored steel rather than her current black.

"Simple, but fitting," was his response towards her choice, as he plucked the floating pair from the case.

"If you would kindly take the glasses you're wearing off, please?" Rose did as he asked, watching with a slight blur as the man pulled what Rose guessed must be his wand and pointed it at her face. A vertical blue light formed from the tip and scanned over her eyes and face. When the light finished its scan over her eyes and dispersed, the shopkeeper then tapped his wand to the lenses.

"That should do it. Why don't you try them on now and see how they feel?"

Taking the new pair of glasses from his hands, Rose slipped them on, with them fitting like a glove, looking around in perfect, clear vision.

"Do you like them?" he asked, and Rose could only nod enthusiastically. She just couldn't wait to see this new world she had entered now even more vividly, through the clear view through her new glasses.

"They're perfect, I'll take them!"

Smiling, the man told the price and watched as she fished out the proper amount she would need to give. "I also used a spell on the glasses as to adjust the strength of the lenses and how they fit as you get older. They are also are bestseller, due to the enchantment on them to change the color of the framing if you ever wish to. All you have to do is think of the color you want," he told her, putting her old glasses in a case as Rose had said she would still like to keep them.

Counting the amount of coins in her hand, remembering what Hagrid had explained, she handed the shopkeeper the money as she took back her old glasses.

"That's incredible! Thank you very much for your help," Rose told him, as she returned to her companion, waving a farewell as she left the shop with Hagrid.

"That was faster than I thought it'd be," admitted Hagrid, but the was girl too preoccupied with looking at everything and everyone in sight with the perfect vision her new glasses gave her.

_'Fantastic!' _It was a sure relief, to wear a pair of lenses that didn't strain her eyes to such soreness as her last. And looking into the window of the shop she just left, Rose stared at her reflection for a short moment and secondly approved on her own choice in style. She didn't dwell long on herself before returning to Hagrid's side once more.

"Hagrid, I think you need to tell me truth now before I go into anymore shops where people know me, otherwise I'm going to look like a complete fool if someone asks me something. Why does everyone know me just by looking at my scar, how did my parents really die? If you don't tell me, then I refuse to go anywhere else with you. I like you Hagrid, but if I have to, I will make this hard for you." Her patience had run out and now she was going to get some answers. She was tired of feeling like some sideshow attraction.

"Yer right, and I suppose yeh ought to know. You can't go off to Hogwarts either, without knowin'. I still don't think I'm the right person to tell you, but I'll do me best. Best talk somewhere a bit more private." Finally giving in, and having a feeling she would keep to her threat, Hagrid lead her to a nearby empty tea shop across the street. Before they took their seat at a table in the corner, Hagrid ordered a mug of earl gray, and when he asked her if she wanted anything, Rose shyly asked the young woman behind the counter for a piece of the strawberry shortcake they had.

"First thing yeh need to know, is that not all wizards and witches are good, some go bad, and years ago, before you were even born, there was one wizard what went as bad they could go. His name was – well, I really don't like saying his name, no one does. We just call him 'You-Know-Who', instead," he told her.

"Why?" she asked innocently, not anticipating his reaction.

"'Why', you ask? Blimey, Rose, people are still scared!" he near-shouted at her. "I still can't believe yeh don't know about him, even his name. Bloody Dursley's..." He trailed off a bit, grumbling to himself and glaring into his tea for a long moment, just sitting there, in his tiny chair.

"Out of all dark wizards he was the worst, even worse than the worst. His name it was... Oh darn, this is hard for me," Hagrid groaned. He took a swig of his tea, swallowed, opened his mouth, ready to say the blasted name, but nothing would come out.

"What if you write it down, would that be easier?" suggested Rose, needing to know by any means. She _was_ going to know, but she had to get Hagrid to say the name first, apparently, before she could get him to start telling her the rest of it all; the important things.

"Can't spell it. All right, I'm gonna do it. Just don't make me say it again, after. His name was – _Voldemort," _Hagrid finally managed, shuddering in his seat across from her and looking paler than he had in Gringotts, just a little earlier. The name itself seemed to bring fear to him, as he whispered it so low she had to lean in to hear.

"_Voldemort?" _Rose asked, making sure she'd heard correctly. It was a strange and odd name, probably could have even been funny, if Hagrid hadn't said it so hauntingly. The giant immediately shushed her from saying the name so loudly, looking around to see if anyone had heard.

'_Is saying his name really so criminal?' _Her thoughts ran off for a mere second before dark eyes lowered once more to meet her, as Hagrid settled himself before trying to start the real part of his tale. And suddenly, Rose wasn't sure if she could breathe, holding her breath as she waited on edge, leaning forward in her seat and clutching her cutlery with white knuckles. _'Would he just get on with it?'_

"It was dark times, Rose, and You-Know-Who had started gathering some followers. Brought 'em over to the Dark side – some were too afraid to go against 'im, others just wanted a bit o' power, and did he have power, all right. It was scary times, you didn't know who you could trust in those days, and you didn't get close to any strange witches or wizards."

Rose watched her caretaker almost seem to struggle to get the words of the story out, and she felt a little pity for him. He took a moment to take another swig of his tea, calming himself and taking a deep breath before continuing.

"Terrible things were happening and he started takin' over. O' course, then there were those who stood up to him – those that did, all ended up dead; murdered. Horrible each and every one of 'em."

The girl visibly cringed at his words, a terrifying flash of green passing across her minds eye once more, like she'd had with Professor Quirrell. Morbidly, she thought of different types of horrible deaths her parents might have been dealt, she could only guess that Voldemort must have killed them, it was the only logical explanation she could think of.

"He didn't dare try to come near Hogwarts, though – one of the few safe places left there was – didn't dare try and take over the school, not when there was Dumbledore protecting it, at least. Reckon Dumbledore was the only wizard in the world You-Know-Who was afraid of." It was obvious that this Dumbledore was an incredible person, strong too, if he was so respected and even feared, but he also sounded very kind and generous – with how Hagrid spoke so appraisingly of him, like he was his own personal hero. Although, Rose supposed in a way – despite his flaws and goofiness – Hagrid was her hero; her Dumbledore.

"Now, I want yeh to know, Rose, that yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard that I am proud to say I ever knew. Even were Head boy an' girl in their last year of Hogwarts! Amazing, they were."

Still knowing so little of her parents, Rose would have been more than happy to hear the even the most insignificant of things about them – she only had her mother's box sitting in her lap, and within it the journal that she still had not read – and though she didn't know the value of being Head boy or girl at Hogwarts she could tell from how Hagrid spoke the words that it must be a great achievement, and a spark of pride flickered in her chest.

"Actually, it's a mystery You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before; being as good as they were... bet he probably knew how close ter Dumbledore they were ter realize they wouldn't want anythin' to do with the Dark Side. Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em... or maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, that on Halloween ten years ago, he turned up in the village you was all living at and came to yer house," Hagrid told her, chewing on the inside of his cheek as he started to look rather teary.

_'It might be sad but I have to know, I just have to,' _Rose told herself. She had known it would not be a happy story when she finally heard it, but these were her parents. Putting some emotion aside, she took quick, short breaths, and readied herself for the rest.

"Yeh was just a tiny lil' baby, only a year old. He came to yer house an'- an'-," he stopped, his voice failing him as he dropped his sentence with big, glassy eyes and a quivering jaw. Pulling out a rather filthy, dirt-spotted handkerchief from his pocket, Hagrid blew his nose into it with a loud sound similar to the foghorn of a boat.

Rose was at a loss of what she should do. Should she attempt to comfort him, like she had when he was sick from the cart ride? She knew from the moment she had met Hagrid, that he was an overemotional person, but was his behavior right now all because of that, or had he really known her parents so well?

"I'm sorry," Hagrid said, wiping his nose.

"But it's just that sad – knew yer mum an' dad, an' they really were the nicest o' people yeh could find – well, anyway..." He trailed off a little, tearing up again before blowing his nose a second time and continuing, with no notice to the attention his loud blubbering had momentarily attracted.

"Well, You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then – now here's the real myst'ry o' that night – he tried to kill you next."

The flash Rose had seen before in her head was brighter than ever, and this time she thought she could hear a scream when he spoke.

"Don't know why. Maybe he just wanted it a clean job, or maybe he just enjoyed killin' by then. But when You-Know-Who decided to kill someone, no one lived, nobody, not one... except you," he said.

Rose was speechless. Her lips were a tight line as she tried not to swallow her tongue and her eyes were ready to roll from the sockets. Had she heard him right?

"_Me_? Voldemort tried to kill_, me_?" If the disbelief and shock was clear in her whispered question, it was certainly obvious on her face. She kept her voice low as she said that name, learning from before not to say it too loudly, something she knew she would eventually forget.

"Yes. That's no ordinary cut you have on your forehead, Rose. A mark like that is only left from being touched by a curse, and an' evil one at that," he told her, pointing to her scar peaking out from beneath her bangs like always, and Rose fought not to reach up and touch it.

"Like I said, no one ever lived once he decided ter kill 'em, and he killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age – The McKinnon's, the Bones', the Prewett's – yet you, a mere tiny baby lived."

The words seemed to fall heavy on her shoulders, and once more she felt like she couldn't breathe.

There was a guilt being born within her, and something even more painful was happening within her mind. The green light blinded her and that cruel, cold laughter mingling with a dying scream consumed her. A memory of the night her parents were killed, a memory of the night she should have died.

Hagrid watched sadly as the girl's sweet face twisted and warped into so many different and torn expressions. Her knuckles grip on her utensils nearly bent them as she tried not to cry. She would _not_ cry in public.

"What happened to Vol-? I mean, to You-Know-Who?" This time, the question was asked to distract her own destructive thoughts and not out of her curiosity or need to know. Although it was a reasonable enough question, as well.

"Some say he died. Codswallop, is my opinion on that. Nope. I reckon he's out there still, too tired to carry on," he answered, a distant and thoughtful look in his beetle-like eyes, as he stared past her out into the street before snapping his attention back to her.

"But though the greatest mystery, there's one thing that is certain. Something about you, Rose, stumped him that night. That's why you're famous. That's why everybody knows your name... You're the girl who lived."

TBC

**Dont forget to review! And thank you for reading**


	10. Chapter 10

**_Clap your hands together for another wonderful job from my beta Whatisthisnonsense._**

**A First Meeting with an Arrogant Little Wizard**

After learning the heavy truth about herself, Rose left the teashop with Hagrid and stopped at two more shops. The first thing on her list she picked up were a pair of protective gloves she would need, and the next was a school bag.

She bought a standard, dark brown leather bag with a nametag, and then the shopkeeper had noticed her handful of things and offered to sell another bag. He told her it was a mokeskin pouch, a small bag with a magical enchantment that allowed it to have a much larger carrying capacity than any muggle bag of comparable size. Along with that, the bag could only be opened by, and have its contents removed by the owner.

'_It would make things easier, carrying my school things and not having to worry about dropping my mum's box.'_

Rose thought it over for a minute, and soon came to a conclusion just a second before Hagrid encouraged her to make an investment in such a rare item. Taking the deal, she handed the man the money for both her things.

Her mokeskin bag didn't look like anything special, as ordinary as her school bag. But it was also comparably smaller, and hung on a leather string that could be worn around her neck. Opening it, up she moved to _try _and fit her box inside first and was continuously amazed as she got the corner in and it started to grow large enough to fit the item inside before shrinking back to its original size, than she put her money inside with her mother's box next, safely away where no one could get it, before drawing it closed. Her smaller things were wrapped in paper and tied with string in her school bag.

"Seems like a good time to get yer uniform, since we're here an all," said Hagrid to her, gesturing with a nod towards a shop with beautiful garments, gowns, suits, along with colorful robes and a few hats in the windows. _Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions_read its sign.

"Uh, Rose, yeh wouldn't mind if I left yeh by yerself to get yer uniform for a lil', and drop by the Leaky for a bit of a pick-me-up, would ya? That tea we had wasn't enough and I really don't like those Gringotts cart rides."

Although she was less than confident to be by herself, Rose could see that Hagrid did still look rather green.

"It's alright, you go ahead; I'll be fine." She wasn't sure if it was Hagrid or herself who she was trying to convince.

'_I can do this, I can do this, just have to be confident is all. If I can handle the Dursley's I can handle this. After all, didn't I buy my new glasses without any help? Deep breaths. Here I go.' _And so, after a moment of mental pep talking, Rose entered Madam Malkin's alone.

She was greeted charmingly by Madam Malkin herself on her entrance into the shop, a squat, smiling witch dressed in mauve.

"Welcome. I assume you're a Hogwarts student, dear?" asked Madam Malkin, her reply a shy nod.

"I've had Hogwarts students coming in by the lot today – in fact I have a young man in the back being fitted right n-..." Her last word was dropped, letting it go unfinished when she realized who the pigtailed child in front of her was.

"My word, you're Rose Potter! I heard a customer say you'd returned, but I couldn't bring myself to believe it. Yet here you are standing in _my_ shop, right in front of me!" Rose began to open her mouth to say something but was cut off by the excited woman as she started to pull her forward and towards the back.

"Such a pretty thing you are, though you're rather scrawny, even for your age. A bit of a thin face too, and what knobby knees! Though all together you're still extraordinarily gifted in looks. But don't worry, in a few years you're sure to be the envy of all the witches, and the fancy of respected wizards everywhere wanting to court you. You'll be beautiful, I just know it, even more so if you're dressed in my custom robes." Madam Malkin doted on her enthusiastically, beaming with excitement of the chance to dress the famous girl. Oh, the possibilities that the older woman clearly couldn't help but think about.

"But these Muggle clothes you're wearing, they just wont do. We'll just have to pick out an entire new wardrobe while you're being fitted; you're a very special young witch, after all. I believe purple, green and yellow are your colors. Hmm, maybe a little pink as well," she said, sounding as if she was speaking more to herself than she was to Rose.

'_A whole new wardrobe?' _Rose thought, surprised and shocked at the very notion of buying that much clothing.

Before Rose could try to protest that her clothes were fine – that maybe one new outfit wouldn't hurt, but planning and picking out a whole wardrobe was a little much – she was placed on a footstool right next to a boy with a pale, pointed face and slicked back silvery-blond hair. He was handsome for his age, and Rose guessed was the young man Madam Malkin had mentioned was already being fitted, before she had a long robe suddenly pulled over her head.

"Matilda, would you come here, please?" Madam Malkin called, and a young raven-haired young woman stepped out from behind one of five curtained doorways to the side with a pile of robes in her arms.

"Would you be a dear and fit this young lady here while I go and find a more suitable set of casual robes for her to wear?"

Putting the robes she had been holding down, Matilda took Madam Malkin's place, and began to pin the bottom of Rose's robes to the proper length.

It was obvious that the boy next to her was of a higher class, as he stood upright with an air around him that screamed money and finesse. Of course, Rose didn't care at all for these things, so all she saw was another child her age and an opportunity. This meant ignoring her silent insecurities she now felt in comparison with the other child, not realizing how she looked to others, despite her three-times-too-big clothes.

"Hello, are you going to Hogwarts as well?" Rose asked, turning to him with a bright smile and a hopeful tone to her voice, worriedly scrunching her brows together when he seemed to turn a little pink before he cleared his throat and stuck his nose into the air.

'_Weird.'_

"You're very pretty." He looked her dead in the eyes as he said it, taking Rose by surprise, and it was her turn for her face to turn pink. Matilda at her feet made a cooing sound as she looked between them.

"Thank you," Rose whispered shyly, tucking some stray hairs in front of her face out of the way.

"And yes, I'm going to Hogwarts. My father is just next door buying my books, and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy with a bored drawl, as if he hadn't just given her a compliment.

"Then afterwards, I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I honestly don't understand or see why first years can't have their own... I know! I'll bully father into buying me one and I'll smuggle it in."

Rose's shoulders drooped and her smile fell. He was beginning to sound a lot like Dudley.

"Well, that doesn't seem very fair at all," she told him, rather put off and disappointed that her first possible friend was turning out to seem too much like her cousin. She did not want her first friend to be a person like her cousin; Dudley had always been nothing but a bully.

"It's not my fault others aren't as rich as my family," the boy tried to argue with her, as he turned to look her in the eye.

"That's not what I meant. And even if you could smuggle it in, what would do with it?" There was an undeniable logic to her words, but he seemed to ignore it, although he went rather red.

"Well, have _you _got your own broom?" the boy asked, as if it was a contest. He was missing the point.

"No, I don't. After all, the list said that first years weren't to have one. So why would I waste my money to buy one?" she told him matter-of-factly, standing stubbornly straight and tall.

"Then do you play Quidditch at all?" He answered her with a question.

She had no idea what Quidditch even was, and that made Rose feel even more stupid for still not knowing that much. But she didn't let it show, even when she spoke next.

"No. I don't know what Quidditch is actually; I was raised by Muggles. My horrible aunt, uncle and cousin," she admitted, turning her gaze away from the nasty boy. She had really wanted to make a friend, too.

"Where are your parents, then?" he asked, as if the question wasn't personal, although Rose had no intention of going very far into the topic with the boy, and gave him a straight answer, surprisingly without sounding bitter.

"They were killed." After telling him this, there was a moment of silence; he didn't say sorry or ask how, and she was relieved some for that.

"Well, they were at least _our _kind, weren't they?"

Rose snapped her head around to stare at him, her pretty eyes set in a glare. She didn't know what he meant by the question, but she didn't like how he said it.

"If you mean whether they were a witch and a wizard, then yes they were. Although I don't see how that matters," she replied hotly, trying not to sound so snippy at him for an innocent question. She realized that as every second passed she had more and more to learn about this new world.

"You're awfully rude, do you know that?" Rose asked him, with a surprising amount of bravery, thinking to herself that for a boy who seemed to be of a much higher class, he didn't seem to act the part. She really was rather disappointed, and even worried that if the entire Wizarding world was like this boy, she knew she would never fit it.

She looked so sad, staring at her feet, as Matilda pinned the bottom hem of her robes. And the blond child was amazed. No one, besides his mother or father, had ever told him to his face that he was acting out of term, not even other adults. She was pretty for a runt of a girl and he'd been trying to impress her, but it seemed to have backfired.

"So you really don't know what Quidditch is, what about Hogwarts? Do you know what house you're going to be in? I'll be in Slytherin, of course, all of our family has been. I couldn't imagine being put in Hufflepuff, I would rather leave school then be one of them," he said, his drawl softer and lighter than it had been before.

Slowly, Rose looked back up at the boy standing next to her. He _did_ look a little guilty and regretful, perhaps there was still a chance they could be friends.

"No. I didn't know about Hogwarts until I got my letter, so I don't understand what you mean by houses," she admitted, looking rather pink and embarrassed, feeling like she had done something wrong by knowing so little up until now.

"But I did hear a boy mention Quidditch on the street. What is it, some type of game?" she asked, her curiosity creating a more innocent and friendly air between them as she looked at him expectantly.

"You really don't know anything, do you?" he sneered, but his voice slightly lacked that mocking tone when he asked a reasonable but still rude rhetorical question, and it still earned him a glare.

"You're no better than a Muggle-born. _They_ never know about anything until they get their letters either, and are never brought up to know our ways. I personally don't think they should let the other sort in, I think that should be reserved only for the old Wizarding families. What's your surname, any way? I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." He drawled, before his face turned to a mild pleasant and friendly smile as he tried to charm her with his looks and offered his hand.

Rose wasn't exactly sure what he was talking about, all she had wanted to know was what Quidditch was, but if he wanted to shake her hand maybe there was hope after all.

"I'm Rose Potter." Although it hadn't exactly been a pleasure at first to meet the boy, she wasn't going to be rude and not return the introduction.

She watched as his cold, grey-blue eyes grew wide at learning who she was, something she had feared would happen. Rose didn't want to be judged by her scar, but for herself instead, and didn't want to make friends because she was famous either.

"You're _her?_ Rose Potter, and you don't know anything at all about _our_ world? How could they let _you_ grow up with Muggles?" The boy seemed to be having a fit.

"I can't believe this. You're _the _Rose Potter_, _the girl who lived and defeated You-Know-Who?"

Rose was starting to feel rather uncomfortable again as they shook hands, glad for when the other let his grip go.

"Um, yeah, I guess so. I don't like to talk about myself much, I didn't even know I was famous until this morning," she told him truthfully, grateful when he seemed to calm down a little.

"Oh," was all he said quietly, a long silence passing as he stared, still wide-eyed at her for a few moments longer.

"It's a shame you had to grow up with Muggles instead of a wizarding family like mine," he said awkwardly, and the silence continued for another long moment before cold grey eyes turned back to her, looking her up and down.

"You're awfully small, I thought you would be taller."

She wasn't sure if he was trying to ease the silence or make her feel worse about herself.

'_Why do people keep picking on my height?' _Rose let herself pout, sticking out her bottom lip and crossing her arms, which she found was a mistake when she poked herself with the needles holding the folded hems

"Ow!" That had been stupid of her, and she felt stupider for it as she checked to see if she was bleeding. She would feel awful if she'd ruined her new robes and hadn't yet to even purchase them. And then Draco started laughing; at her.

"It's very mean of you to laugh, that really hurt. How would you like it if you were the one poked by a load of sharp needles?" Her glare was less intimidating when she was pouting and blushing pink, and it only seemed to make him laugh harder at her misfortune.

"This is exactly why I called you rude," she huffed, before turning away from the boy just as Matilda finished with her robes and Madame Malkin came out from the back, holding an assortment of dresses, skirts, and frilly blouses and suddenly all color drained from Rose's face.

"Well, come along, deary, and try these on," Madame Malkin urged cheerfully, beckoning the girl to a dressing room with a wave of her hand as Matilda pulled off her school robe. Draco immediately stopped his laughter to sneer when he saw her clothes.

"Thank you, Madame Malkin, but I'm sure that one outfit and my school robes in perfectly fine. _Really_," she tried desperately to convince the woman, unsure if it was out of pity or admiration that the woman was doing this for her.

"Oh but I insist, dear. Besides, don't you want to look nice for the boys?" the older woman asked with a smile, whispering as she looked over at the blond boy still being fitted and looking rather irritated for it.

"I'm_ eleven_!_" _she said, simply hoping it was enough to explain how she had no interest in boys, not yet at least, and especially not Draco Malfoy. He was rude, arrogant, and mean. He was nothing but a pretty-boy version of Dudley.

Apparently not hearing her, Madame Malkin shoved the robes into her arms and shoved her into the dressing room, closing the curtains behind her, leaving Rose alone in the small space to figure out what to do, and what to try on first.

Many of the dresses were a lot alike, with dark but vibrant colors, purple and greens, a few light tones here and there, with frills and layers and puffy skirts with bonnets and puffy sleeves.

'_For once couldn't I just have a pair of trousers that fit me? And these skirts could fit a circus underneath them!' _Rose thought, lifting one of the skirts of the three dresses she was given to try on, looking at the thick petticoat beneath. She didn't mind dresses, or skirts, but did they have to be so complicated to put on and so _frilly?_

Rose looked through what was given to her, trying on and sorting through them. She put the ones she didn't like to one side and the clothes she was considering buying to the other side.

There was one that she really liked, and would even be willing to walk out wearing. It was a light green long sleeve dress that fell to her knees and had pockets lined with a thin ribbon tied in a bow in the front, and was made of thick cotton that would keep her warm against the chill of the cold weather. Along with it came a pair of black stockings and a knitted, hooded poncho lined with smooth silk on the inside and three large buttons going down the front. The length stopped just past her elbows.

Pulling it on, she looked in the mirror and smiled. She spun around, twirling and giggling like the child she was. Now all she would need was a new pair of shoes.

'_No, I wont spoil myself, but maybe-' _Rose thought to herself, the money was to be spent on her school supplies and she couldn't allow herself to be irresponsible. But would it be so wrong to buy a little extra?

Looking down at her scuffed and falling apart shoes that were far to tight on her feet, Rose realized she really did need new shoes. The soles had had to be stapled so they wouldn't fall off and sometimes the staples would stab her feet. These were her only shoes and she had nothing else if they were to ever fall apart. She would have to sneak away to a shoe store if she had the chance.

Looking up into the mirror, she gasped when she thought she saw her parents standing there smiling, the sound just loud enough to be heard by Madame Malkin outside.

"Are you alright, dear? Any trouble I can help you with?" Rose stumbled back and rubbed at her eyes from behind her lenses, and sure enough, when she opened her eyes again they were gone.

"No, Madame Malkin, I'm fine." answered Rose, not wanting to worry the woman before pulling the curtains back and stepping out in front of everyone, jaws going slack and Madame Malkin even started to look misty eyed.

"You look lovely." she told Rose with a smile.

"I'm sorry, Madame, but I think all those others dresses are just a bit to flashy for me. But I do like this one and some of the other clothes."

And by everyone's expression around her, so did they. The misty-eyed Madame Malkin had reverted to a business like manner as she looked Rose up and down, circling her with a concentrated look as she checked to make sure not a thread was out of place.

"I just knew you would look perfect in anything. But I'm surprised you would pick this one – not that there anything wrong with this one – and besides, you look amazing," she spoke with a more professional tone, before her eyes relit to that youthful excitement again as she came back to stand in front of the girl.

"Yes, you look so gorgeous. Casual, but quaint and delicate. Seems perfect for your gentle character. Besides, it hides how scrawny you are underneath. Oh I can't believe _the _Rose Potter is wearing _my _robes!" she squealed, even bouncing a little.

"She's right, you look lovely," agreed Matilda before she returned to helping finish off Draco's school robes at last, the boy himself standing with his jaw hanging almost to the floor.

* * *

He had thought she was just a runt; not worth further associating with once they separated ways after Madame Malkin had pulled her off into the dressing room, but now the Draco was thinking much differently as he watched her twirl cutely at Madame Malkin's request.

Rose had never had anyone look at her like that, with an almost dreamy, glazed look in his eyes, before he seemed to realize how utterly ridiculous he appeared and once more had to compose himself, his face left a bright pink with his deep blush.

"Didn't I tell you that you were pretty?" he asked with a cocky look, as if he'd been the very first person alive to recognize that she was good-looking.

Quickly looking away, Rose felt lightheaded as the blood rushed to her face to color her cheeks with a blush so hot she thought her face might explode. She wanted to be mad at Draco for earlier, but she couldn't help but feel flattered.

"My word, look at that man out there!"

Turning at sudden announcement of the boy, Rose looked to where the other nodded – to the front window of the shop. Rose glowed with a smile, looking even more radiant in her new apparel. There, outside the shop was Hagrid grinning at her and pointing to two large ice-cream cones to let her know he couldn't come in.

"That's Hagrid, he works at Hogwarts," she spoke of Hagrid like a child would about an admired parent, feeling proud to finally know something the boy didn't.

"Oh yes, I've heard of him. Isn't he some type of servant?" Rose was starting to not to like the boy so much again with how he sounded when he spoke about Hagrid, and it worsened with every second that passed as he twisted his lips in a disgusted sneer, looking at the man outside still smiling cheerfully as he waited for Rose.

"He's not a servant, he's the gamekeeper and my friend," Rose said pointedly her eyes narrowing into a warning glare that told him it would be smart to choose his next words carefully.

"Your _friend?_" he asked with honest surprise, looking between the tiny redhead and the giant standing outside.

"But I've heard he's a _savage – _he lives in a hut on the school grounds and once in awhile gets drunk and then tries to do magic, setting his bed on fire!" Draco said, repeating what he'd been told.

It was obvious, from Rose's glare that she didn't take kindly to what he was saying, not one bit. She boiled with anger, but she hadn't the nerve to say anything.

Turning back to the window, Rose saw Hagrid still grinning even as the ice-cream began to melt, unaware of what others were saying about him. Rose wanted to argue, but she was scared. She wanted to defend Hagrid, she really did, but whenever she'd tried to stick up for someone, Dudley had bullied her; would this boy bully her at school, too?

Sniffling, Rose turned from the horrid boy and asked Madame Malkin for the price of her new clothes. Madam Malkin sold her the clothes at half price, and put the uniform in a paper bag, while Rose wore her new outfit out to show Hagrid. Before taking her bag of new clothes, Rose put her Muggle clothes away in her mokeskin pouch. She didn't want to keep Hagrid waiting long.

* * *

Draco didn't want to leave things like this; he didn't want her to dislike him. Not severely, at least. They could be friends, be in the same house together. So what could he possibly say to make things better?

Just as Rose paid for her things, Draco's robe was finished and pulled off of him, and as she reached the door she turned and looked over her shoulder at him, whilst he waited for his father to return and pay for them.

"Bye, maybe I'll see you at school." And with that she skipped out of the shop, almost giddy to be away from the other, and ran to Hagrid, with a grin large enough to match the man's own as he handed Rose her ice-cream.

"Now, don't yeh look pretty," said Hagrid, noticing the new clothes she was wearing.

"Thank you Hagrid. Madame Malkin insisted I get something. She even wanted to pick me out a whole new wardrobe, but this is enough for me," she laughed, holding up her new bag of clothes.

Taking one last look behind her at that shop, she was just in time to see a man who looked an awful lot like Draco walk inside of it carrying a cauldron filled with books.

"Thanks for the ice-cream by the way, Hagrid. It's really good," said Rose, turning back around and focusing her thoughts and attention back to her companion.

"It's chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts," he told her.

"Father, did you see that girl, the one with the dress and dark red hair. That was Rose Potter. Look, look, before she gets too far out of sight!" Draco babbled, as he rushed his father to pay Madame Malkin and pull him out of the door, pointing to the small figure ahead of them walking further away down the street.

"Rose Potter, that runt of a child? Come now, Draco, don't be absurd," Lucius Malfoy brushed off his son, but it was no lie and Draco was bent on convincing his father.

"I'm not lying father, it's her, we spoke in the shop and she told me her name. She was so pretty, and she spoke back to me and called me rude!" Draco turned to watch Rose's figure disappear into the distant crowd as he told his father of the vow he'd made to himself.

"Just you wait father, I'm going to marry her and then she'll see what it means to be of such a noble family as the Malfoy's."

Lucius looked down at his son – there was a determination he had never seen before on his child's face – and was honestly shocked at such a declaration. But if his son was speaking the truth, then such an ambition and goal could work to their advantage.

"Well then, I was going to wait until you were a bit older, but I suppose, being a Malfoy heir it's never to early to teach you how to properly court a young lady," he told his son with a devious smile.

After walking away from the shop, it became quiet between Hagrid and Rose as they walked and she ate her ice-cream, and she just couldn't stop thinking about some things the boy had said and now was depressing her.

"You alright, Rose? You seem a bit down," Hagrid asked his small friend worriedly as he took notice of how silent she had been as she ate her cold treat.

"I'm fine, Hagrid," she assured him, giving a weak smile before going back to taking licks of her ice-cream.

When they stopped inside another shop to buy parchment and quills, Rose's mood cheered up a bit when she found an ink that changed color as the penman wrote. It was the small things like this ink that she really found amazing and fun.

After they exited the shop, Rose finally asked the question that had been on her mind. "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?" She hadn't got a straight answer from that boy Draco, but she assumed once more it was some type of game you played on brooms.

"Blimey, Rose, I just keep forgettin' yeh still don't know all that much – not knowin' 'bout Quidditch!"

He wasn't making her feel any better than she had before, and not even the magical ink she bought could cheer her up this time.

"Don't make me feel even worse. I already feel dumb as it is." After saying this, Rose told Hagrid about the pale boy she had met. She told him all about how rude he was, and how he'd said such untrue things about him and how she told the boy that he was her friend. She was a bit concerned when Hagrid started to get teary eyed but she quickly calmed him, believing he would rather not be seen crying in such a crowded and public place.

"Then he started saying that those from Muggle families shouldn't be allowed to go to Hogwarts, but my mum was from a Muggle family so I don't agree at all with him. I think anyone who can do magic should be allowed at school. Like my mum." She spoke with pride when she mentioned her mother, patting her pouch where her mum's well cared for box rested at the bottom. And she wasn't the only one who was proud; Hagrid was once more beaming at her with approval.

"Good, because yer not from a Muggle family, those wretched Dursley's be damned. And thank yeh fer considering me your friend." Hagrid said the last sentence almost shyly, Rose was sure he was even blushing a little. She thought it was so sweet.

"You _are_ my friend Hagrid. You really are the nicest person I've ever met, I owe you a lot and you don't deserve to have people say mean things about you. I only wish I could have told him off and said more." Looking right up at him, Rose said all of this to him without any bashfulness or restraint and took the giant's bear of a hand as they walked together like that to the next shop.

"What yeh said to him was enough. It wouldn't be good to start a brawl before you get ter school with one of your classmates over little old me, now would it?"

Laughing with the man, Rose was happier then she had ever felt. Hagrid was her hero, and she wouldn't let anyone treat him like he was anything less than that from now on.

**TBC**


	11. Chapter 11

Old And New Wands

"So, what's Quidditch?" Rose asked in a better mood than she had been, as she walked with Hagrid down the streets of Diagon Alley.

"Well, it's our sport, like the Muggles have football Quidditch is the Wizard sport – everyone follows it – played up in the air where yeh fly on broomsticks, and there are four balls. Well, it's sorta hard ter explain the rules."

It sounded exciting and amazing to Rose. Flying on broomsticks, in the air – she couldn't wait to see it for herself.

"And what about the houses? The boy said he would be in Slytherin and also mentioned not wanting to be in Hufflepuff. Why wouldn't you want to be in Hufflepuff?" Rose felt that when the boy had said that, he was being biased, and she wasn't one to judge anything by what others said.

"Those're not the only ones, there are two more school houses. Though everyone says Hufflepuff are a bunch o' duffers, but-" was all he got out before Rose interrupted him, a bit miffed that everyone seemed to think ill of a group of people they probably didn't even know all that well.

"If there is one thing I learned being with the Dursley's, by how they gossip - it's not to believe what everyone says about others, especially people you don't even know. I don't care what house I'm in, I just want to belong and make friends. Who knows, I might just be in Hufflepuff." That seemed to end any continuing of that conversation, but Rose did hear Hagrid mutter something under his breath.

"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," Hagrid muttered darkly under his breath, and though she wasn't a prejudiced girl Rose had to agree with him. If everyone in Slytherin was like the boy she had met then she would much rather be in Hufflepuff than in there with him.

And so they continued on until they stopped at a shop for her books called Flourish and Blotts. There inside, Rose was seduced by the temptation of all that was offered. Shelves filled with countless books lined the walls and reached the ceiling, leather bound books as large as paving stones; books full of peculiar and strange symbols that struck her imagination and some books with nothing in them at all: there were even books the size of postage stamps wrapped in covers of fine silk. It was brilliant, and before Hagrid could stop her she had run off and returned with a pile of books in her arms reaching taller than they would allow her to see, and Hagrid almost had to pry from her **'**_**Curses and Counter curses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Los, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More)'**_by Professor Vindictus Viridian.

"I was only trying to find out how to curse Dudley is all, not like he doesn't deserve it," Rose had told him. She was kind and just to those who earned such treatment, but could be as easily vicious and cruel to those who had it coming to them.

"Though I'm not sayin' that's a bad idea – because yer right in that he deserves it – but students aren't aloud ter use magic in the Muggle world unless it's in very special like circumstances," said Hagrid to her, and she was immediately disappointed in learning such.

"Besides, yeh need a lot more studyin' to reach the level yeh'd need to be at to do any o' these curses."

This didn't stop her from buying it when Hagrid's back was turned as they finished purchasing the rest of her school books and a few others such as _**'The Muggle-Born's Guide to The Wizarding World'**_ and a few extras, just for her own need and enjoyment and putting them in her bag.

Hagrid also wouldn't allow her to purchase her own solid gold cauldron and reminded her; "It says pewter on yer list," as she put the cauldron back where she had found it and bought the one she would be needing for her class. Although before leaving they did get a very nice set of scales for weighing her potion ingredients and a collapsible telescope.

After that, they made their way to the Apothecary, the most unpleasant visit of their day, yet fascinating enough for its unpleasant smell to be overlooked. And indeed, it _was_ a horrible smell that filled it, one that was a mixture of spoiled eggs and rotted cabbages.

There were barrels filled with slime lined up on the floor; strange dried roots, bottled jars of herbs, and shelves lined with bright powders up on the walls; not to mention the soft bundles of feathers, stings of sharp fangs, and mean-looking snarled claws hung above them from the ceiling. Hagrid seem perfectly at home in such a place, not showing a single sign that the smell bothered him as he went and asked the gentleman behind the counter for the basic potion ingredients he would need.

While Hagrid was busy with that, Rose examined the beautiful silver unicorn hair they had for sale for the price of twenty-one Galleons each, along with miniscule little black beetle eyes, so tiny that were five Knuts a scoop.

'_Wonder what you would use them for. A potion?'_ It would only have made sense, since they were at the shop for her very own ingredients so they must be used for such a thing. Putting down one of the beetle eyes, she walked back to Hagrid where they paid for her ingredients and were back on their way out of the horrid, stench-filled shop.

Now outside the Apothecary, Hagrid stopped to look at Rose's list once more and to check off their newest purchases.

"It looks like it's just yer wand left for yeh to get now – oh, and of course I still gotta get yeh a birthday present."

Rose's face was immediately set aflame, so hot she could feel it go red. "Oh but, Hagrid, you've already done so much for me, really you don't-" she tried to say, all in one breath.

"I know I don't. But how about this, I'll get yeh yer animal for school. I got many pets of me own so why don't I pick out yers?"

A pet? For school? Her birthday present?

"Not a toad though, toads went outta style a long while ago and we don't want yeh to be laughed at – an' I don't very much care fer cats, they make me sneeze terribly... I know exactly what to get yeh! I'll get yeh an owl. I know all the kids these days want owls, yeh see they're mighty useful creatures, carry yer mail an' everthin'." Having convinced his little friend, Hagrid led Rose to the Owl Emporium.

So many birds, so many different owls and animals filled the shop. Some were strange looking and some ordinary, others beautiful and majestic. It was dark and full of the flittering and rustling of feathers and wings, with bright jeweled eyes staring at her from all directions around her – yet she felt no discomfort.

The truth was that Rose was a great lover of animals – especially birds – and the ones that surrounded her in the shop were absolutely brilliant. But what she really wanted was that beautiful snowy owl outside the shop; the one she had seen when she first walked into Diagon Alley, earlier.

And without even having Rose tell him anything, Hagrid went to the man tending a dark owl behind the counter and asked to purchase the exact bird she wanted with a gesture to outside the window. With a jolly smile, the shopkeeper took one of the cages for such business and walked around the counter, outside and transferred the owl to a carrier cage.

Twenty minutes within the shop Rose left the Owl Emporium carrying the large cage with her new gorgeous snowy owl fast asleep in its cage with her head tucked beneath her wing. And sounding much like the dear Professor Quirrell, Rose couldn't stop stammering thanks after thanks and becoming nothing more than a stuttering mess, unable to express her thanks and appreciation for such a wonderful gift enough.

"Don't yeh mention it one bit," Hagrid told her.

"Besides, I don't expect that those Dursley's ever gave yeh many presents."

And he was right; she never received much at all. Her birthday cake and her very own owl were now the only real presents she'd ever had, and they were wonderful ones at that. Just perfect, really. It was a shame she never even got to taste the birthday cake that she could only guess Hagrid had worked so hard on for her.

'_Stupid, fat Dudley,' _she thought bitterly.

"Now it's just Ollivander's left now – only place ter get wands, Ollivander's that is, and yeh gotta have the best wand," Hagrid said to her as they once more made their way down the streets of Diagon Alley.

A magic wand… this was what Rose had been really looking forward to. She already had her mother's wand – she'd never tried using it, and didn't know how – but now she would be going to get her own. She was practically skipping alongside Hagrid on their way to Ollivander's. She just couldn't wait.

'_I just know this is going to be the very best part! After all, it is going to be a magical wand I'm getting,'_ she thought, grinning all the way, her pigtails bouncing and swaying in their place atop her head as she hopped and skipped, practically dragging Hagrid by the sleeve in her attempt to try and get them there faster.

This had to be the most excited Hagrid had seen Rose all day. Rose was innocent and whole, her smile holding the light of the sun with sparkling bright eyes that shone like jade, holding all of the purity in her heart to be seen. Rose appeared so sweet and kind, but for her possession of a fiery and occasionally deviant attitude She really was an amazing little girl and he had sworn, from the day he took her from the wreckage of Godric's Hollow, that he would do all in his power to help her; that he would give his life for her.

Hagrid remembered how her tiny ("tinny" is like "a tinny, metallic sound") hand had tried to wrap around one of his fingers with the other clutching to his coat as they flew through the sky to deliver her to the Dursley's. He almost regretted handing her over now, knowing what her life had been like with them. But just as he was the one to take her to live in the Muggle world, now he was the one to bring her back to the Wizarding world.

The last shop on their trip in Diagon Alley was narrow and shabby. The gold paint of its sign was peeling but the letters were still clearly seen, written out above the door that read; _Ollivander's: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C_ And in the dusty windows of the shop, only a single wand lay on a very faded purple cushion. Rose would have had thought that from how the shop was so highly spoken of it would be in more care than what it was.

Going in first, Rose heard the tinkling of a bell sound from somewhere in the shop as the door opened, and again when Hagrid came in after her. The front was but a small space that offered the comfortable seating of a single spindly chair that Hargrid took to sit on as they waited.

It was just slightly warm and so silent, and Rose felt as though she had entered a strict library of sorts, but for that familiar sense of magic, which seemed to circulate all throughout the shop, manifesting from all the boxes stacked and piled neatly on the shelves of the store, reaching to the ceiling.

Swallowing and restraining herself from speaking out loud all the new questions that were once more familiarly filling her mind, Rose instead tried to focus on all the narrow boxes, apparently filled with wands.

And that feeling of magic a secret magic, leaving the hairs on the back of her neck to stand as even the dust seemed to hold that same power within it. Her body tingled with it as well, if not from some of her remaining excitement, too.

"Good afternoon," a soft voice said, breaking the silence.

Rose jumped, and so must have Hagrid, as there was a sudden crunching noise and he stood quickly from the spindly chair.

The owner of the voice was an old man whom now stood in front of them, with his wide, pale colored eyes shining like moons through the gloom and dimness of the shop.

"Hello," said Rose, without any of the awkwardness that was suppressed by the recent suspense and her anxiousness. Her bright green eyes were shining brighter than the man's own. And he seemed to recognize her – like many others – immediately.

"I thought I would be seeing you soon, Ms. Potter." It wasn't a question.

"You look just like your mother, especially your eyes. It seems like only yesterday she was in here buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. A very nice wand for doing charms with." He sighed fondly, his eyes unfocused as if he was seeing her mother standing where she was right now.

"I still have my mother's wand, actually," Rose told him, and he turned to her so quickly she was sure it must have injured his neck. There was a glow in his eyes that was lit by his excitement.

"And would you happen to have it with you, I would so love to see such a fine work of mine after so long?"

This was a surprise to Hagrid; he hadn't known that at all. He thought that Lily's wand had been destroyed that day all those years ago along with her husband's.

Honoring such a sincere request, Rose dug into her mokeskin pouch and with a bit of trouble, managed to open the top and stick her hand in. Searching the practically bottomless pit of her mother's box, she eventually felt the surface of the wand and gently, with loving care pulled it from there. With a nudge of her knuckles, she sealed the lid of the box again and pulled her hand with the wand from her bag, holding it in her grasp to show the man.

"Extrodinary. May I?"

Understanding that he meant to ask if he could hold it, Rose was hesitant at first, looking between the wand and the man before deciding that it would be fine and holding it out to him carefully.

"Extraordinary, not even a scratch of the surface. Perfect shape and condition as the day I finished crafting it. Just extraordinary." He spoke more to himself as he closely examined the wand, scrutinizing its every inch before he waved it with a flick of his wrist towards a vase of wilting flowers and watching as it levitated up and off the counter before bringing it to settle back down.

"Thank you, for allowing me such a pleasure. I do hope you continue to take good care of it. Though I suppose you don't have your fathers wand as well, that would be too much to imagine," he said to her hopefully.

"If you wish, I could give you a brand new box for your mother's wand, to keep it safely in?" He offered her, handing her mother's wand back to her and watching as she gently cradled it.

"I would like that very much, thank you," Rose said, appreciating his offer and fond of the idea of giving her mother's wand the proper respect of having a box of its own to lay safely in, instead amongst the other things in the shoebox.

Olivander smiled and pulled an empty box from behind the counter. Opening the lid, he set it aside and pulled back the strips of fine white linen that were folded over, and had Rose place her mother's wand in the cushioned inside, before folding the fabric back over and closing it before handing it back to her. She thanked him again before placing the box with the wand into her bag.

Now feeling slightly more reassured with the wand in a safe place Ollivander moving closer to her, and though at first she had been fine, those silvery eyes of his were beginning to seem rather creepy. If he would only blink, it would ease her of such feelings. However, sensing the personal significance of her parents' wands being made and bought here, she tried to hide her wariness as he drew even closer to her.

"Your father... indeed, as much as you look like your mother, you also share a great resemblance to your father. I get a sense of his presence and exuberance around you, as well. He favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. With a bit more power, and excellent for transfiguration. Even if I say he favored it – it should be that it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

Rose wasn't quite sure what he meant by that, but believed she would soon come to find out.

By that point, though, Mr. Ollivander had come so close to her face they were almost nose to nose, making her feel a little more than uncomfortable.

'_Is it really necessary for him to be this close?'_ Rose thought, seeing her own reflection in those misty eyes, which caused her to look away.

"And this is where…" And suddenly Mr. Ollivander was touching her, brushing a bit of hair to the side to touch the lighting bolt scar on her forehead with a cool, long white finger.

"I have never been more sorry – especially now with you in front of me – to say that I was the one to have sold the wand that did it," he said softly, tracing her scar as he apologized and with sad, regretful eyes.

"Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. A powerful wand, very powerful and in the wrong hands… If only I had know what that wand was going out into the world to do I would never…" He shook his head heavily, as if weighed down by the thought. After taking his hand away, to Rose's relief, he spotted Hagrid.

"My word, Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice it is to see you… I assume you're with young Ms. Potter then? Your wand, oak, sixteen inches, and rather bendy wasn't it, if I remember correctly?"

With Ollivander's attention directed at Hagrid for the moment, Rose took the moment to brush her bangs back in place and rubbed the lingering feeling of the cold touch from her scar.

"Yes, sir, it was," said Hagrid, shifting with apparent unease at the accuracy of Mr. Ollivander's amazing memory.

"It was a good wand, that one. But of course they must have snapped it in half when you got expelled?" Mr. Ollivander said, suddenly sounding very stern, and Rose knew it was a sensitive topic to bring up with the half-giant – although she still didn't know why – and watched Hagrid give a slight flinch at the mention of his expulsion.

"Er – yes, they did," Hagrid said, shuffling his feet with his eyes to the floor, before looking back up with a small grin.

"But I got the pieces still, though!" he said with a bright tone. Hagrid didn't do gloomy well in Rose's opinion, and she was pleased as she didn't like to see him looking so down and depressed.

"But you don't _use _them of course, do you?" Mr. Ollivander asked sharply, his eyes narrowed and sharp as his tongue, as he stared up at Hagrid and appeared to actually unnerve the poor giant.

"Oh, no sir! Of course not, never," poor Hagrid spoke his denial quickly; he was clearly flustered and his eyes were wide.

Rose noticed how very tightly her companion now seem to grip his pink umbrella as he spoke to the other man. She couldn't help but pity Hagrid, despite the obvious.

"I'm sure that Hagrid only kept the remainders of his wand for the personal reasons as I do my mother's I'm sure his wand was very important to him," said Rose stepping in, patting Hagrid's arm as she smiled at Mr. Ollivander charmingly in reassurance. It seemed enough for the time being to convince him, as he hummed an acceptance and gave Hagrid a final piercing gaze before stepping away.

"Well, anyway – Ms. Potter, I say we get started with you. Let's see." With his attention turned back to her, Mr. Ollivander pulled out from his pocket a long tape measure donned with silver markings.

"Now which is your wand arm?" he asked with a smile again, the dark mood exiting as he got back to business.

'_Well I'm right handed,' _Rose thought, and assumed that her wand arm would be the same, since it only seemed to make sense.

"That would be my right I think, sir," she told him, choosing how she said it carefully to sound more confident with what she knew and her knowledge. She didn't want to sound any more foolish than she already had in Madame Malkin's.

"Then if you would please hold out your arm for me, Ms. Potter. That's right."

Rose held out her arm obediently and held still as the old wand maker measured her from shoulder to finger, then to her wrist to her elbow, her shoulder to floor, embarrassingly knee to armpit, and strangely and lastly around her head. She couldn't imagine a tape measure ever being long enough for this to be done to Hagrid, even when he was her age.

Mr. Ollivander spoke to her as he measured.

"It is done that every Ollivander wand has a core of some powerful magical substance, Ms. Potter. We tend to use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. But no two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, phoenixes, or dragons from which we take these cores are exactly alike."

Rose listened intently to him as he spoke, eager to learn all she could about this information.

"And of course, you will never possibly get as good results with another wizard's wand. As in the case of your mother's, it would not do as well to use hers as it would your very own," he said.

Rose then realized as it tickled under her nose, that the tape measure, which was currently measuring the space between her nostrils, was doing it all by itself. During the time she tried to restrain herself from swatting the tape away, Mr. Ollivander was back behind the front counter and between shelves, flittering about as he took boxes down from them.

"That is all," said Mr. Ollivander from the back, and the tape measure suddenly fell to the floor in a limp, piled heap.

Rose was honestly relieved that it was done, having found it odd and personally uncomfortable for her. She was even sure that half of those measurements weren't even necessary.

"Well then, Ms. Potter, try this. It's beech wood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice flexibility." He had taken out the wand from its box and held it out for her.

Taking it, Rose just stood there, holding it. She looked at Mr. Ollivander.

"Well, give it a wave!" he told her.

She felt rather awkward holding the wand in her hand, like it didn't fit properly. So feeling rather foolish, she waved it around a bit and by doing so caused the drawers of several shelves to fly out violently. Mr. Ollivander took it back from her hands and replaced it with another almost immediately after she did so.

"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches and whippy."

Rose gave it a short wave, and a glass of flowers shattered. The wand was snatched away from her hands and replaced with another again.

"No, no, definitely not," said Mr. Ollivander. "Here, this one is ebony and unicorn hair. Eight and a half inches. Give this one a try."

She did, and nothing happened, so she tried again, but nothing. No more destruction, just... nothing.

This continued wand after wand, either nothing happened, something being destroyed or the wand being snatched from her hands before she could do anything. The pile of tried wands was growing to a mountainous pile atop the desk, and eventually the spindly chair had to be used, where the mountain grew just as high.

Yet as the piles of wands kept increasing, as did the wands he had to pull from the shelves, Mr. Ollivander only seemed to become happier. Rose on the other hand, was at the point of slight exhaustion from it all. It felt as if she had already gone through a thousand wands.

"What a tricky customer, eh? But don't you worry; we'll find the perfect match for you yet. Your wand is here somewhere, we just have to find it," he told her, taking another wand from her and going to the back.

Rose watched as the he entered the shadows to the very back between shelves, looking about.

"I wonder," he said, his eyes landing on a box on one of the higher shelves at the back.

"An unusual combination – yes, why not." He climbed up a ladder and took the box from its shelf.

"Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, a nice and supple wand," he spoke stepping down from the ladder and making his way back to the front. Opening the box, he had an intense look in his pale eyes as he held the wand out to her.

Rose took the wand, and the instant she did a warmth came into her fingers that left them tingling. Raising the wand above her head a golden glow enveloped her in a halo of light, the wind swirling around her feet rising up around her to blow her hair back. And as she brought it down in a swish through shimmering dusty air, a braided stream of red, gold, and silver sparks shot from it's tip like fireworks, exploding into dancing primrose flowers, sparkling with light. It was just like the lilies of her mother's box.

As the sparks faded with the fireworks, Hagrid began to whoop and clap loudly behind her, applauding her like he would a performance as the glow around her finally disappeared with the rest of the magic they just witnessed.

Joining in, Mr. Ollivander congratulated her, crying out as he clapped his hands.

"Bravo, bravo! That was purely astounding, never have I seen a wand reacted so brilliantly before… very good, Ms. Potter… how curious it is, though," he spoke, taking the wand back from her fingers and placing it back within the box.

As he prepared and wrapped Rose's new wand in brown paper, Mr. Ollivander kept muttering.

"Curious… curious…" were the words he spoke, and it was that curiosity that made Rose curious.

"Excuse me, sir," she said, interrupting his mantra, "but _what_'s curious?"

Lifting his head from tying the finishing gold string of the wrappings, Mr. Ollivander fixed his pale eyes on her in a dead stare that left her frozen. It felt as though if she looked into those eyes any longer or harder she would see through them to the ghosts hidden beneath their haunted light.

"I remember every wand I ever sold, Ms. Potter. Every single wand, and almost every single face I sold them to. It just so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather resides in your wand, gave another feather – just one other feather. You see it is curious that you should be destined for this wand, when its brother gave you that scar." His voice was like ice water poured down her back, chilling and haunting.

Rose swallowed. She was beginning to feel like it really wasn't good to be so curious all the time.

"Oh yes, I remember that wand. Thirteen and a half inches. Yew."

And then it was as if _Rose_ could see the wand, there was a flash, and then there it was in her mind, pale and smooth like bone.

"It is curious indeed how these things come to occur. Remember, it is the wand that chooses the wizard… I believe we can expect great things from you, Ms. Potter… After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things – terrible, yes, but great."

Rose couldn't help it; she shivered. At that moment she wasn't sure if she cared for Mr. Ollivander all too much anymore.

Paying seven gold galleons for her wand, she returned Mr. Ollivander's parting bow and left the shop together with Hagrid, both leaving with a dark cloud over their heads.

It was late afternoon as Rose and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley, going back through the wall, and back through the now empty – for all but a few drinkers at the bar – _Leaky Cauldron_. With so much going through her head, Rose didn't speak a word as they left the way they had first came and walked along the road together in silence. It wasn't until Hagrid tapped her on her shoulder did she realize they had already made it to Paddington Station.

"We got time before yer train leaves fer a bite to eat," Hagrid had said to her, and so he bought her a hamburger nearby and they sat down to eat their food.

'_I wonder if he knew I was hungry or if it just a guess,'_ Rose thought, her mouth watering as she stared at the hamburger in front of her. Somehow he'd known she had just been starving for some good, hearty food. As she ate her juicy hamburger with as many table manners as possible when eating fast food, Rose looked around her everything just looked so different to her now, strange, even.

"Yer awfully quiet, Rose. You alright?" Hagrid was clearly concerned about her, but Rose just wasn't sure how to explain it, so she took another big bite of her burger. She'd just had the most fantastic birthday of her life, but she felt strange She thought about how to exactly word her problem out loud as she chewed her hamburger.

She swallowed her food when she finally believed to have found the proper words to explain.

"It's just that everyone thinks I'm special. You saw all those people in the _Leaky Cauldron_, Hagrid, even Mr. Ollivander… How can they expect great things from me when I still don't know anything about magic besides my mum's box? I'm famous for something that I wasn't even old enough to remember being famous for. I can't even remember now what it is I'm famous for, let alone what happened the night my parents died!" Stressed, Rose took hold of her hamburger and took another mouthful of it.

Hagrid, being the good person he was, leaned over the table and once she'd swallowed her food, touched the underside of her chin to nudge her head up to look at him. Behind his wild dark beard and eyebrows she knew he wore a kind smile underneath, one meant just for her.

"Now don' you worry your pretty little head, Rose. You'll learn it all in fast enough time. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, yer gonna be just fine. Just be yerself. And I know it's hard, harder for you more than others. But trust me when I say that yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts – I did – still do, 'smatter o' fact."

Rose smiled; somehow Hagrid had known just what to say to cheer her up.

After that, Hagrid helped her onto the train that would be sure to take her back to the Dursley's, but before she set off, Hagrid handed her an envelope.

"It's yer ticket fer Hogwarts. The first o' September at Kings Cross – it's all there on yer ticket… See yeh soon, Rose."

And as the train pulled out of the station, Rose pressed her nose to the window, wanting to watch until Hagrid was out of sight, but she blinked and Hagrid was gone.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

The Journey From Platform Nine And Three-Quarters

It was on the train ride home that Rose had decided to start reading her mother's journal. As she opened it, the letter that had been written to her aunt fell out. Her Aunt Petunia had said that her mother had also written to her on the other side, so lifting the paper Rose turned it over and began to read.

_To my sweet Rose,_

_How I wish I could be with you now, to stand by you as you open your Hogwarts letter for the first time, to walk with you down Diagon Alley as we shop for your school things, to see you try on your first uniform, to watch you cast your very first spell with your new wand. But if you're reading this, then it means that sadly I can't do these things with you, as I am dead._

_One day, mine and your father's deaths will be explained to you. It was arranged that if we did die that you would go to one of your guardians; either a friend of your father's or my sister, your Aunt Petunia, but I have a dark feeling the one you were meant to go to under the circumstances of our deaths will not be able to take you. However, I know your aunt will have taken good care of you, and that you will have grown up to be a lovely little lady preparing for her first year at Hogwarts._

_That is where my journal comes in. It holds all my memories, all of my knowledge, all of my hopes and dreams since the day I got my own letter. Use this journal as a guide to help you through your own school years, make your own memories to write down and pass on to your own child one day, make as many memories and friends as you can and always cherish them, for they will be the ones that will stand by you through your toughest years._

_Higher expectations will be put upon you more so than others your age, but remember you create your own path with the choices you make, no one makes your path for you, they can only help you along with your journey to your ultimate destination._

_Magic is such an amazing gift Rose; never take it for granted, any of it. You will learn so much from it; it is a part of you and shall grow as you grow. Your magic will become solely individual to yourself. Your magic will comfort you, shelter you when you need it to, it will be angry when you are, sad when you are, and as long as you trust in it just as you would trust in a friend, it will protect you and the ones you love. Magic is a mysterious thing that cannot be treated lightly; it is wonderful but powerful._

_Oh, my sweet Rosie how I would give anything to be with you right now, to watch you grow up and play a part in the development of the person you will become. You were such a beautiful baby when you were born and I can only imagine the beautiful little girl you are now as you read this letter and the even more beautiful woman you shall be. And I want you to know that though I can't be with you in body I am always with you in heart and spirit, watching you, helping you, protecting and loving you._

_And although you may not have all the answers now, someday everything will be clear to you. Someday you'll figure everything out, you'll put an end to your doubts and find away to let the light shine and know where it is you truly belong and whom you belong with._

_Never forget, Rose, who you are._

_Forever your mother with love,_

_Lily nee' Evans Potter_

Rose's eyes were misty and the smudges on the paper weren't from her, they were old, and Rose guessed they must have been from her mum's tears when she was writing. She let out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding and kissed the paper, the writing so different from hers but so familiar.

And in that moment it really felt like her mother was there with her, at her side, an arm around her as she smiled, staying silent though her eyes said it all. Her mum believed in her, and she wouldn't let her down. Rose would become a great witch, a strong and kind one. Just like her.

Yawning as she pulled out her pigtails, her hair fell free and tickled her cheeks. Folding the letter, she put it in the back of the book and reopened it back to the first page and began to read.

_Dear Journal,_

_I hope you don't mind that I've only started to write in you now, but until today I never had anything exiting enough happen to really write about._

_That boy from the park was right, today I got my letter to that school called Hogwarts. I really am a witch and he's a wizard. Tunie doesn't seem very happy for me though, she never did like any of the things I could do. I remember just the other day when I jumped from the swing and flew she got really scared, and that was when I first met him, that strange boy from Spinners Lane who watched us all the time in the park._

_I thought he was just being mean when he called me a witch, but he was telling the truth. I really am a witch. Mum and Dad were really surprised, not even they believed at first. They threw away the first letter thinking it was prank but then another letter came the next day and a woman came to our house to explain._

_They thought she was speaking rubbish at first, but then she proved it to them, she turned one of my mother's favorite wine glasses into a bird. After that they believed her. That's when Tunie left and ran to her room really upset, and she called the woman a freak just like she always called me when I did something strange. Once Tunie was gone the woman with the funny dress introduced herself to me, she said her name was-_

Rose was so exhausted from the days events that she had started to doze off around the middle of the very first page, her head drooping until her chin rested against her chest and her hair fell in a curtain around her sleeping face. Her mother's journal was still sitting open in her lap. She didn't wake until she arrived at her stop.

It was a surprise to find that Rose's last month spent with the Dursley's before she was to leave for her first year of Hogwarts wasn't as terrible as she would have imagined it to be. Dudley was terrified of her and her Aunt Petunia seemed to have kept to her word and had a long talk with her husband, the man avoided her almost as much as Dudley did and barely spoke to her at all.

Everything appeared to have returned to normal amongst them – besides her cousin and uncle – her aunt acted as if nothing had ever happened and treated her as she usually did, whilst Vernon and Dudley behaved like she didn't exist and that any chair or object she touched was cursed. Petunia had taken to setting some rules for her if she was to go to "that school".

Her chores were doubled and she had to get them all done by the time she was to leave, she was to maintain decent grades in school, had to take care of her owl by herself, and no magic of any sort such as Hogwarts, spells, and any other strange freaky things of the sort was to be spoken of in the house.

"I understand Aunt Petunia," Rose had said with a gracious smile, her aunt who was back to normal only snorted and gave a nod before dismissing her to her room where she now spent most of her time with her new owl and books. Rose had named her owl Hedwig, something she had read in her _A History of Magic_ textbook. She had told her aunt she would vacuum her own room after Hedwig started to bring dead mice back from her flights in and out of the window when she pleased. Her aunt of course didn't ask questions and was more than happy to pass on the job to her.

She knew that it had taken all of her aunt's pride to admit that she was wrong in her and her sister's falling out as girls. Rose knew that her aunt didn't love her, that she probably didn't even like her, that she was only doing anything kind for her to make up for what happened between her and Lily. Or maybe she was projecting the role of the daughter she always wanted on her. But whatever the reason, Rose was grateful for what little kindness she received.

During the rest of the summer she spent nearly all her time up in her room reading the books she had bought, going through her textbooks, her mother's journal and her copy of _The Standard Book of Spells. S_he even practiced a few spells, but only very small ones and only when she was sure she wouldn't get caught.

She loved reading all that she could about magic, and since she knew so little of it, she made sure to study her copies of _The_ _Muggle-Born's Guide to the Magical World_ and _A History of Magic _books extra hard so she was prepared for when she arrived at Hogwarts. And on her wall she would mark down the days on a calendar up until September the first, the day she would be leaving for Hogwarts. Her heart leapt every time she thought of it.

It was the last day of August when Rose received a surprising visit from her Aunt Petunia up in her room; she had knocked but didn't wait for an answer before she came in. She had a set of clothes in her arms, all seemingly brand new.

"Have you all your things packed and ready?" was the first thing she said to her niece upon entry, placing the clothes in her lap as she sat on the bed next to her.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," Rose answered and Petunia hummed before letting out a breath.

"Tomorrow we'll drive you to Kings Cross Station. We need to go up to London hospital anyway to get rid of that tail your friend gave Dudley."

Rose tried not to laugh; she had almost forgotten Dudley still had that tail.

Aunt Petunia ran her hand over the smooth surface of the fabric in her lap, picking at a few loose strings, "I bought you some things when I was out the other day, I thought you might like to wear them for your trip to that _school_. You want to look nice if you're to make friends." She gave Rose the clothes and watched as she unfolded them, holding them out in front of her.

There was a brown jacket, a pretty cream colored blouse with a frilled collar, and a pink boucle skirt.

"Do you like them?" Petunia asked hopefully, allowing herself to be a bit more generous towards her niece as they were alone.

"I thought maybe you would like me to do your hair again. You look so sweet with pigtails."

Speechless, Rose turned on her aunt not knowing what to do. She couldn't bring herself to embrace her; she probably never would be able to.

"Thank you so much, I love them," she told her aunt with a big, bright smile as she ran her hands affectionately over the material of her new clothes.

"Make sure to double check that you have all your things tonight, we leave first thing in the morning after breakfast. We'll drop you off at the station before we go to London."

Happy nonetheless Rose nodded her understanding and gave a big grin as she looked back down at her dress.

"Good night, Rose," Petunia whispered, praying that maybe the girl wouldn't hear her, but unfortunately her prayer wasn't heard as she shut the door to hear her niece's hushed voice.

"Good night, Aunt Petunia," Rose said quietly without looking at her aunt, afraid of what expression she might see, be it surprise or disgust. All she heard was a snort before the click of her door shutting completely.

The next morning Rose woke up at five o' clock, hours earlier than she had planned. She was too excited, anxious and nervous to get back to sleep, so circling the date on her calendar, Rose checked over her Hogwarts list one more time to make sure she had everything packed and ready.

'_This is it. Today is the day I go to Hogwarts, and I'll be away from these horrible people for an entire school year!' _Rose thought in her head with excited glee as she bustled around her room getting ready, checking everything and preparing them for her travel.

She made sure Hedwig was securely in her cage. Afterwards she dressed herself in her newest garbs that her aunt bought her, planning on changing into her Hogwarts robes on the train later on. With that all done and nothing left to do, Rose began to pace in her room before finally pulling out one of her books to read.

She spent the next few hours reading her potions book and making sure all of her things were all in order and ready. When she heard the Dursley's started to wake, she sighed. In a few minutes her uncle would begin to yell for her to get breakfast and coffee ready for the day. But first, she had to wait for someone to unlock her door from the outside, waiting to hear the telltale clicks of her door being unlocked and the banging from her uncle. As she waited to be let out she hummed and flipped the page of her potions book.

She wanted to be a good student, get good grades, make her mum and dad proud to know she was a hardworking student, so she had been studying her books as much as she could in her free time. Also, it seemed really interesting to her, all of it did and she wanted to know everything, and learn all she could.

Hearing the sound of footsteps coming towards her room from down the hall, Rose shut her book and came around her bed to throw it inside her trunk. The locks were turning as she let the lid of her trunk fall shut and turned just in time to see the door opening with a creak and her aunt peeking in.

"Good, you're up. Sit down and I'll do your hair and you can get breakfast ready," Petunia told her stiffly as she entered the room.

Nodding, Rose locked her trunk and went to sit on her bed. Her aunt sat behind her and made a noise of disgust when she saw the mess that was the back of her niece's head.

"Ugh, don't you ever brush your hair?" Petunia asked her as she roughly started to brush and detangle Rose's hair.

'_I would brush my hair if you ever gave me a hairbrush,'_ Rose thought bitterly, her resentment towards her aunt still not completely gone despite the occurrences within the past couple of months.

"Ugh!" her aunt exclaimed, suddenly gasping and throwing herself back and away from her niece, the brush dropping from her hand to drop on the floor.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked innocently over her shoulder, not understanding her aunt's sudden, horrified actions towards her all of a sudden again.

"Your hair, it grew, I felt it in my hands. What did I tell you about that freakiness in my house!" she started to scream at her and Rose stood to try and silence her aunt before her uncle heard and he came storming in waving his fist like the gorilla he was.

"Please Aunt Petunia, I didn't mean to I swear. _Please_ let me go Hogwarts, I promise it will never happen again!" she pleaded with her aunt, the desperation thick in her voice as her eyes started to tear up with fear that her aunt would not allow her to attend school, that she would keep her here in this hell hole; locked away forever.

Petunia was breathing hard, looking at her niece as if she was the most horrible thing in the world and wouldn't touch her with a ten-foot pole as she shook in her spot in fear and repulsion.

"I brushed your hair enough. We'll just leave it down. Now hurry up and go get set up breakfast." she explained still shaken.

Rose didn't hesitate as she ran down past her aunt and down the hall, around the corner and down the stairs. At least her aunt wasn't going to keep her from going to school. Once in the kitchen, Rose pulled her now shoulder length hair into a single ponytail and started cooking.

As Rose finished fixing up breakfast for the Dursley's, her uncle had come down stairs with her trunk. Swinging open the front door, he dragged her trunk against the ground and asphalt of the driveway to the back of the car where he popped the trunk and threw her things in roughly before slamming it shut and returning inside for breakfast. In the kitchen Rose placed a plate of bacon in front of Dudley who gave a shiver of fear when he saw the smirk she was wearing before walking away to retrieve the juice, tea, and coffee for the family.

After breakfast, Petunia finally managed to talk Dudley into sitting next to Rose, who had Hedwig in her cage held in her lap. Feeding her feathered companion a dead mouse that she had found in the kitchen. She had purposely kept in secret that the Dursley's had an rodent infestation knowing how much of a tidy and clean house her aunt tried to keep. Besides it was free food for Hedwig. Rose grinned evilly at the disgusted face Dudley made next to her before the four were off and on their way to drop Rose off.

When they arrived at King's Cross Station, Vernon pulled her trunk from the back of the car and put it on a cart for her, and from there Petunia replaced her husband as she joined her niece.

"I'll take her from here, dear. You stay with Dudley and I will be right back," Petunia told her husband before joining her niece's side whom was wheeling her trolley away and down the platform. But arriving, they couldn't seem to be able to find platform 9 ¾, in fact it didn't even appear to exist.

"Oh my, it's been so long since we took Lily I cant seem to remember how it was she got to the platform. Damn magic." She cursed the last part under her breath with foul irritation.

Neither of them dared ask any of the guards or conductors, especially not Petunia. Finally, it was Rose who had become desperate enough to ask someone which train left at eleven, but the man said there was no train that left at that time.

She only had ten minutes left until the train departed and Rose was beginning to panic.

"Aunt Petunia, what do we do? Hagrid never told me how to get onto the platform." The panic was becoming evident in her voice and even her Aunt began to look nervous as they began to receive stares, standing there in the middle of a station with a trunk that Rose could barely lift, a bag filled with wizard money, and a large owl. They did indeed stand out among the normal crowd.

"-Look at this, every year just packed with Muggles of course."

Rose looked up to see who had spoken, only to find it was a plump woman with the same fiery red hair as the four boys and the little girl at her side. She spoke to all of them who were pushing similar trunks as the one Rose had in front of them – they even had an _owl._

'_They must be wizards and witches too,' _Rose thought hopefully.

"Aunt Petunia, I think we should follow them," Rose suggested to her aunt.

Petunia looked from her niece to the family of strangers, looking them over with obvious distaste before turning to Rose with a sneer and nodded. After all, how much more could they possibly humiliate themselves?

With a now smiling Rose they pushed her cart after them, straggling behind just close enough to be able to hear clearly what the redheaded family were saying to each other.

"What was the platform number again, dear?" asked the mother, looking around in search as she waited for her one of her children to tell her.

"It's nine and three-quarters, Mum," the little girl answered, still holding her mother's hand as she was pulled along.

'_I wonder if my mum would have held my hand like that?' _Rose thought, as she watched the mother and daughter, before being finally taken from her thoughts by the little girl's whining voice.

"Oh, mum, can't I go?" pleaded the child, big blue eyes thrown at her mother who continued looking ahead.

"You're not old enough yet, Ginny dear," the woman told her daughter as they stopped between platforms nine and ten. "All right then, you go first, Percy."

Percy, at the call of his name stepped forward, appearing to be the oldest of all the children, before he began to stride towards the wall between the platforms.

Rose didn't blink; she didn't dare to miss a single step in case she lost any of it. She leaned in, holding her breath waiting as she watched him come closer and closer to the brick divider between the two platforms and just as he reached it, a large swarm of tourists came flooding between them and by the time the last back packed tourist was gone the boy, Percy, had vanished.

Rose wanted to scream, she wanted to pull at her hair and curse words a girl should never be heard saying out loud but no one would be able to tell, for her face was like a blank slate, free of all emotions. Next to her, Aunt Petunia tapped her foot impatiently as she waited as well for an explanation of any kind as why they were now standing there as they were.

"Now, Fred, you next," the plump woman said to another one of her sons, her voice breaking Rose out from whatever state of shock she had just been in and bringing her attention back to the family before them.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy, and looking properly Rose saw that in the remaining group of flaming red hair was a young man who was exactly identical to this boy. Twins.

"Honestly, woman, and you call yourself our mother?" There was something in his eyes though that said not to take his scolding seriously, but his mother didn't seem to see it as she apologized.

"Sorry, George," she told him with a sigh and a strange nod of her head as her son came out from the group that was his family and rolled his luggage out in front of him until he stood in front of them between the platforms.

"I'm only joking, I am Fred!" he said, breaking out in a grin before he was off as his twin called at him to hurry and he apparently must have done exactly that for in the next second he was gone, having disappeared.

'_How on earth did he do that?' _Rose thought as she stood next to her horrified aunt who stood staring with a gaping mouth opening and shutting like a fish pulled from the water.

Petunia was having a very hard time as she tried to comprehend what she had just seen with her own eyes. She tried to remember back to the year she had stood with her parents and sister for the first time as she saw her sister off with a grudge that she would never let go of.

The third brother, the second twin, had begun to follow his brother's lead, taking on a brisk walk as he made his way towards the divider like his brothers before him and then he was gone, too.

"Excuse me?" Rose was the one to call to the older woman as she took her cart from her aunt and rolled it towards the red haired family.

The woman's attention caught, she turned to Rose and began to walk towards her to hear her better, a kind and gentle smile on her face as she waited for her say more, her own daughter trudging along with her.

"Um, could you tell me how to… well, to...?" Rose tried to say, words failing her and just pointing to the stone wall, which the boys before her had apparently gone through.

The woman broke into a grin as she looked between where she was pointing and back at the girl with a light laugh.

"How to get onto the platform you mean? Well not to worry, dear, it's Ron's first time to Hogwarts as well." She pointed to her last son who was still waiting with his own Hogwarts trunk and cart. He was tall, thin, gangly and covered in freckles. Rose nodded to the boy with a friendly smile in greeting, the same courtesy returned to her.

"Now all you have to do is walk straight at the wall between platforms nine and ten. It's best to do it at a run if you're nervous."

Rose smiled at the woman before looking up at her aunt behind her, waiting for something to be said or done.

"This is as far as I go with you, Rose." Petunia kneeled in front of the girl, straightened her clothes, and fixed her hair. Embarrassing her even more, she wiped a smudge from Rose's face with her thumb as her niece squirmed in her arms.

"You'll do fine, it's where you belong." Her assurance was in such a low whisper Rose could barely hear it, but she heard it nonetheless before her aunt stood and stepped back from her to give her room.

"Go on now." She hurried her along, for she would not have her niece being late, and they had already been running short on time as it was with Dudley and Vernon waiting for her in the car.

Nodding, Rose rolled her cart around like the boys had and took a deep breath before making a run for the wall. It looked very solid, so as she neared it she closed her eyes and kept pushing her trolley, expecting to crash right into the wall but she felt nothing, the impact hadn't come, and when she opened her eyes again a big scarlet steam engine was waiting on a platform that was bustling with people. On the front of the steam engine was painted _**The Hogwarts Express**_, and as she looked overhead she saw a sign hanging that was marked with the platform number of nine and three-quarters.

'_I did it, I got through and now I'm really going to Hogwarts.' _Rose took a second to watch the smoke of the train's engine drift up into the air above it before turning her eyes lower to look around.

The crowds on the platform chattered away as cats of all different colors and sizes wound themselves around their owners' ankles, and Rose had never seen so many cats as they walked and pranced between legs. While the cats roamed free the owls all hooted at one another as if in upset and disgruntled conversation as heavy trunks scraped around them.

Rose found that the first few carriages of the train were already packed and full of students, a good number hanging out of the windows to talk with family before the train began to leave, and then there were those fighting over seats.

Passing them, Rose continued to push her trunk onward down the platform as she searched for an empty compartment, and as she did she passed a round faced girl her age talking to someone whom appeared to be her grandmother.

"Gran, I've lost my toad again!" the girl admitted in distress, looking all around them for the lost amphibian.

"Oh, _Neveah, _why couldn't you have picked a better pet?" the old woman sighed heavily.

Then there was a boy with dreadlocks surrounded by a small group of others as they leaned in towards the box he was holding.

"Come on, Lee, give us a look at it?" one said from the crowd around him.

And with a big grin, the boy lifted the lid of the box and those around him suddenly screamed and shrieked as something very hairy stuck a leg out.

Rose kept on moving through the crowds until finally she found an empty compartment near the very end of the train. She made sure to put Hedwig inside first before she tried the same with her trunk but it seemed she was having some difficulties with it.

She shoved, she heaved, she pushed and she pulled but the trunk just seemed to refuse to go inside the train door. Trying to lift it up the stairs she found she could hardly lift it up even for a moment, and already she had dropped it painfully on her foot.

"_Ow!"_ Rose yelped in pain, jumping around on her uninjured foot. But she refused to give up just yet. No matter how sure she was that her toes were bleeding within her brand new shoes.

"Do you need a hand?"

Looking up, she found one of the twins from earlier that she had followed standing right in front of her.

"Yes, thank you that would be wonderful," she told him, trying not to sound too excited, not wanting to look anymore like a fool in front of these people.

"Fred, c'mere and help me!" he called into the crowd of people, and soon the other twin was with them.

With their help, Rose was finally able to get her trunk inside the train and tucked away in a corner of the compartment.

"Thank you for your help, I don't know how I would have gotten my trunk on without you two!" She beamed at them before brushing some of her bangs from her now sweaty face out of her eyes. And suddenly one of the twins had a finger pointed in her face.

"What's that?" the one pointing at her asked, as he continued to point at her lighting shaped scar rather rudely.

"Blimey," said the other twin, looking at Rose.

"You couldn't be, are you...?"

"I think she is," answered the first twin, beginning to lower his finger from her face.

"Aren't you?" he added on, sounding unsure in case he was possibly wrong in confirming his brother.

"Excuse me?" Rose asked, a little more than slightly confused as she stared at the two older boys in front of her, and starting to blush at their staring.

"_Rose Potter!" _the twins chorused as one together and almost surprising her.

Rose blinked a few times before finding herself and regaining her senses as they waited for her to confirm.

"Yes, that's me," Rose said with shy embarrassment as she brushed her bangs back over her scar and avoided eye contact. The more the two boys continued to gawk at her like they were, the redder her face became. Finally, to Rose's relief, a voice called out from the platform calling for the two boys.

"Fred, George, where are you?" It sounded like a woman's voice that was calling the twins and Rose could only guess that it must be their mother. She was obviously looking for all her children so she could say her goodbyes to them before the train left.

"We're coming, Mum!" And with one last look at Rose, the two boys hopped off the train to return to their mother and the rest of their kin.

With the two boys now gone, Rose took her seat next to the window and just watched from her half hidden seat as the red-haired family was completed by the twins joining the rest of them. Even through the glass she was able to hear them, and watched as the mother pulled from her pocket a handkerchief.

"Ron, dear you have something on your nose." And then she proceeded to rub at his face with her handkerchief until whatever it was that was staining his nose was gone and she was happy. Rose couldn't laugh, since her own aunt had been very much similar before she went through the barrier.

She watched as the boy tried and failed to pull himself away from his mother, but she kept grabbing him and pulling him back with a firm hold and started to scrub again until she was satisfied.

'_I wonder if my mum would have fussed over me like that?' _

Realizing her thoughts were leading her emotions, Rose snapped herself out of her depression at wondering what could have been and tried to focus on the positives of her going to Hogwarts.

"Mum, would you geroff me!" Finally, it seemed like the boy was able to wiggle himself free of his mother's clutches. But just as he managed to do so his brothers latched onto him teasingly.

"Does our ickle Ronniekins have some fink on his nose?" one of the twins cooed in a mocking manner as he pinched his younger brother on cheek playfully before being swatted away by Ron.

"Will you shut up and leave me alone," he growled before turning away and pouting at his brother's teasing.

"Where's Percy?" their mother suddenly asked, and Rose tried to remember which one was Percy; they all looked so much alike. But trying to remember back when she was following the family she believed Percy to be the first of them to have gone through the barrier.

"He's coming now, mum."

And just then the oldest boy came striding into the picture to join the rest of his family and it appeared that he had already changed into his school robes, but unlike Rose's own, his had a red and gold patch on the chest with the letter _P _on it. She briefly wondered if it stood for his name.

"I'm sorry, but I can't stay very long, Mother, I'm up front with the other prefects and we have two compartments to ourselves..." his bragging was cut short by that of the twins who seemed to grin like twin Cheshire cats, ready to pounce on their pray.

"You're a _Prefect, _Percy? We honestly had no idea!" one twin said with a gasp and obvious sarcastic air of fake surprise. Rose smiled to herself as she watched the two. They were funny.

"Wait a minute, I do believe I remember him saying something or other..." spoke the other twin, scratching his chin in pretend thought before he spoke again.

"Yes, I believe maybe once-"

"Or twice-"

"Of everyday-"

"All summer long-"

At last, fed up with his brothers' obvious sarcasm and teasing he couldn't help but snap a little, "Will you two just shut up!" growled Percy the prefect at his brothers, with a mix of agitation and irritation as he repeated what his younger brother had said to them earlier.

The identical boys seemed to realize his anger as their elder brother's face began to turn red, before he tried to calm himself as he regained his prep and perfect composure.

"Anyway, why is it that Percy gets new robes and not any of us?" asked one of the twins to his mother as they gave their brother a once over. Percy was standing proud and tall in brand new robes when the rest of them clearly had no such privilege.

"It's because he's a _prefect_, of course," she answered them fondly as she dusted invisible lint off her son, straightened his robe and fixed his hair before finally drawing herself back from him with a proud smile on her face as she looked him over with obvious love in her eyes.

"Alright, well have a good term, sweetheart and make sure not to forget to send me an owl when you get there," she told him and the other boy leaned down to allow his mother better access as she kissed his cheek before sending him off from the rest of them and once he was gone, she turned to the twins, hands on her hips and eyes narrowed sternly.

"You two had better behave yourselves this year, do you hear me? Because I promise you, if I get one more owl from the school telling me you've blown up a toilet or-..." she was cut off from saying more as her sons' grins returned and they shared a look between them before turning back to their mother with those same grins still on their mischievous faces.

"Blown up a toilet? But we've never blown up a toilet before. That's a new one," one of them said.

"But it is a great idea, thanks so much, Mum," the other spoke, but it seemed their mother was not amused, not one bit, as she glared harder at the identical boys. Taking a step closer, she waved her finger in front of them as they looked down at their shorter mother with their matching grins unaffected by the scolding.

"I'm warning you, boys. And do not forget to look after your younger brother, he is your responsibility this year," she chastised them before straightening herself up in front of them, still not losing the intimidating air of her parental authority.

"Don't you worry, Mum, we promise that ickle Ronniekins will be safe and sound with us!" one of the twins said as they each took a side of their brother and pinched his cheek affectionately, making cooing noises at him as if he was a baby. Their mother didn't look very convinced.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

The Train Ride to Hogwarts

"Hey, Mum, guess who we just met on the train? I bet you can't guess!" one of the twins spoke excitedly to their mother, and suddenly Rose found herself hiding. Pressing herself against the seat, she sunk down and out of sight from the platform so they wouldn't be able to see her watching.

"Do you remember that girl with the dark red hair we saw with that Muggle woman earlier at the station? Know who she was?" the other twin asked.

Their mother gave a nod, remembering how shy said girl had been when she came up to them to ask how to get onto the platform. She had certainly seemed a sweet girl, and such a pretty thing too, like a little doll that just needed to be dusted off.

"Who was she?" she asked, humoring the older boys with a patient smile as she detected their obvious glee.

"_Rose Potter!" _the brothers said as one.

"She was such a tiny thing," one of them said randomly, recalling her petite figure and size.

From the compartment Rose kept hidden, still not looking incase she got caught, but still listening to the family. Then, she heard the little girl, their sister, speak.

"Oh, Mum, can I please go on the train and meet her, please, oh, please can I…" she begged her mother.

It was strange for Rose, to hear the young girl sound so desperate to meet her, as if she was some icon or hero. It was _very_ strange and it made Rose feel uncomfortable.

"You've already met her, Ginny dear, and the poor girl is not something to just ogle at like some animal in a zoo. She is a human being like the rest of us," the woman chastised the little girl and Rose found herself smiling. That was exactly how she had felt after seeing everyone in the Leaky Cauldron; like some show in an exhibit. She was relieved the girl was not permitted to see her, and she found herself liking this woman more and more.

"Are you sure she is, Fred? How do you know?" the mother asked her older son. Turning from her daughter, her grip remained on the girl's hand, tight, so as not to have her running off and onto the train.

"We asked her if she was, and we also saw her scar."

"It's really there, mum, just like lighting!" the twins explained with enthusiasm. (Hope you didn't mind that I moved this apart – I know the twins do tend to speak together, but rarely in really long full sentences so I thought I'd try and separate it a bit.)

Self-consciously, Rose found herself raising a hand and tracing her scar with a stubby finger as the family continued conversing. It was so strange to overhear being talked about like this. She was so use to the nasty and hateful speech of the Dursleys' that it seemed odd to be talked about in any other way but negative.

"Oh, that _poor_ dear...No wonder she didn't seem to know how to get onto the platform – though she was very polite when she asked how – that woman with her must have been her Muggle relative." Her voice seemed to drift off with her thoughts.

"Yes, yes. But do you think she remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"

Suddenly the air around them became cold and their mother turned very serious as she looked at her sons with stern eyes.

"I absolutely forbid you to ask her or even speak of such things around her if you see her again. Do you understand me, Fred, George? As if the dear needs reminding of such terrible events on her very first day at school. Thing seemed nervous as she was, and I expect that's the last thing she needs!"

There was a silent threat that passed between the mother and her children; a warning to heed her words lest they wished to regret going against her.

"Alright, we get it, keep your hair on will ya?" the twins said, stepping back and holding their hands up in front of them in a show of defeat, promising their mother they wouldn't bring it up again before the whistle of the train sounded in warning for those left on the platform to board.

"Hurry up now before you miss the train, we don't want that," said the mother.

And then the three boys were hurrying onto the train, leaning out of the window so their mother could kiss them each goodbye before the train began to move, their sister sniffling as she looked ready to cry.

"Don't be a cry baby, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls," one of the twins said with a smile to their little sister before ruffling her hair.

"Yeah, we'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat!" The other grinned madly at seeing how riled up his joking made his mother, clearly getting a kick out of it.

"_George Weasley!" _

The boy just laughed as the train began to move.

Rose watched the woman wave to her sons and the little girl at her side, who was half-laughing and partly still trying not to cry, before she broke free of her mother's grip and attempted to chase after the train until it caught too much speed and she fell back to wave.

For a little longer Rose kept her eyes on the girl just a year younger than herself, watching as she went back to her mother. She kept watching them until the train at last rounded the corner and they were out of her sight, replaced by the flashing of houses as the train passed them, the speed increasing until they were all but a blur.

Rose could barely hold in her excitement, her stomach filled with the feeling of flittering butterflies as she fidgeted in her seat with great anxiety for the mystery of what she would soon be learning.

Suddenly the door of her compartment slid open and turning she saw that it was the redheaded boy from before. Ron, she believed, the one his mother said was in his first year at Hogwarts as well.

"Do you mind, everywhere else is full?" he asked her, gesturing to the seat opposite of her.

"No not at all, please sit," she offered with a smile, scooting closer to the window as he came in and sat opposite her. She felt awkward as he stared out the window for a few mere seconds before turning to her and then quickly averting his gaze again back out the window, as if he had never looked in the first place. Rose noticed he still had dirt on his nose, and she wondered for a tiny moment how it had possibly gotten there.

"Hey, Ron, we were wondering where you went off to." It was the twins; they had come back.

"We just wanted to let you know that we're going down to the middle of the train to see Lee Jordan's giant tarantula," they told him, and Rose didn't miss how Ron trembled with a shiver at the mention of the spider that she had caught a tiny glimpse at earlier before boarding the train.

"Great, thanks for letting me know," he mumbled to his older brothers, before sinking further into his seat.

"Oh, hello there, Rose," said one of the twins, having taken notice of her and offered her a cheerful grin, as if happy to see her again before they both climbed in and took a seat on either side of her.

"I don't think we properly introduced ourselves last time. Fred and George Weasley, at your service. And we see you've met our little brother Ron already," they said, keeping their grins as they crowded her between them, both shaking one of her hands.

"But you're too pretty to hang out with our brother, you should just kick him out, that way you can have the compartment to yourself. But if you're lonely we can always come back," they joked wiggling their eyebrows exaggeratedly.

Rose blushed at their attention; they really were funny. Meanwhile, Ron scowled at them.

"Thank you, but I'm fine and Ron is no trouble at all. I like his company."

They gave her a strange look as they stared at their brother and then back at her.

"Why?" they asked her together, their voices in sync. Rose just gave them a laugh as a reply, before they were getting up to leave.

"We'll see you around then, nice meeting you again, Rose."

And then they were gone, sliding the compartment door shut behind them and leaving their younger brother and her alone once again.

"Is it true? Are you really Rose Potter?" Ron suddenly blurted out as he leaned close and stared at her.

Rose gave a nervous smile.

"I'm pretty sure I am," she joked, trying to lesson the awkwardness of his intense staring before finally he leaned back and out of her personal space, much to her relief.

"Sorry, I thought that when Fred and George had said they met you it was just another one of their jokes," explained Ron and she felt less upset with the whole situation.

She hoped not everyone would react to her the same way as everyone else apparently had done so far when they arrived.

"And have you… have you really got the you know – _scar?"_ he asked, whispering the last word and leaning in again towards her, pointing to her forehead where a small fringe of hair covered her scar after her aunt had kindly cut her bangs to hide it after she had explained what happened in the Leaky Cauldron.

Being patient with Ron Rose smiled and pulled back her fringe, letting him see her scar. At least, she mused, it was not a large group of people asking and just one person instead.

Ron stared wide-eyed at the cut, his mouth agape until finally something came out.

"Wicked," he whispered in awe as if her scar was the most amazing thing he had ever seen in his entire life.

"So that's really where You-Know-Who…" He let his words fall short as he noticed the uncomfortable look upon her face.

"The only thing I can remember about it is the color green. All I could see was a green flash of light coming towards me. But that's it," she told him to deter him from asking her later. She rearranged her bangs so that they fell over her forehead again, covering her scar once more. She didn't want to have to answer any more questions or talk about herself for a while.

"Wow," Ron said breathlessly, sitting back with a slump to his shoulders as if carrying a heavy burden, the topic seeming to bring both of their moods down as he stared at her before realizing what he was doing and looked out the window with an embarrassed pinkness to his ears.

"Is everyone in your family a wizard?" Rose suddenly asked with a new peak of interest as she watched him, finding Ron just as interesting as he seemed to find her to be.

"Pretty much. Well, except that I'm pretty sure my mum has a second cousin or something like that who's an accountant, but we don't talk about him," Ron said with a shrug, both of their moods now a bit more chipper with a new topic to discuss.

"So that must mean you know loads of magic, right?" she asked him eagerly. She had learned a few spells already, and some of the basic history of magic from the books she bought in Diagon Alley, but she still wanted to learn more, experience everything she possibly could that was magical.

It was obvious to Rose now after talking with Ron more, that his family, the Weasleys, were one of those old wizarding families the boy at Madame Malkin's had talked about. Talking with Ron was enjoyable and insightful, and Rose constantly wanted to hear more from Ron about everything he knew of the magical world.

"Is it true that you went to live with Muggles? What are they like?" Ron asked her and for a moment she was sad to say she actually had to think of her response until finally...

"They're horrible! My aunt isn't so bad anymore, at least – she was the one who brought me to the station – but my uncle and cousin are absolutely dreadful. I wish I had three wizard brothers like you," Rose told him.

"Five," Ron corrected her, looking rather down and gloomy. "I have five brothers. Ginny is the youngest. And I'm the fifth one of our siblings to go to Hogwarts. I kind of have a lot to live up to if you know what I mean."

Rose tried to understand but she had no siblings so it was a hard thing to do.

"The two oldest, Bill and Charlie have already left home – Bill was Head Boy, Charlie was Quidditch captain, now Percy is a prefect and even though they mess around Fred and George get good marks. Not to mention everyone thinks they're hilarious. Now everyone expects me to get along just as well as the others in school. But whatever I do, they've already done it, so it won't make much of a difference because one of them did it first," Ron said to her, clearly depressed at the thought.

"And you never get anything new, either. I've got Bills old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat," saying that, Ron pulled from his jacket a dirty, fat, gray rat, which was fast asleep.

"His name is Scabbers and he's nothing but useless, barely ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from our dad for being made a prefect, so I got Scabbers because they couldn't affor-" he cut himself off realizing he was saying too much as his ears went pink again and he stared out the window averting his eyes. But Rose found nothing wrong with not being able to afford an owl, seeing as just a little while ago she herself couldn't really afford anything until Hagrid came and told her she had money and she passed that on to Ron, letting him know that they really weren't that different.

Rose told him how she had to wear all of her aunt's old clothes from when she was a girl, that she never got any birthday presents and it seemed to cheer Ron up to hear how miserable her life had been up until now.

"Before Hagrid I really didn't know anything, about being me being a witch or about my parents or even about Voldemort-"

Suddenly Ron gasped, stopping Rose from speaking any further.

"What's wrong?" she asked him, concerned that she had said something to offend or upset him in any way.

"_You just said You-Know-Who's name." _Ron sounded both impressed and surprised.

Rose furrowed her brow and twisted her lips before remembering how Hagrid told her she really wasn't supposed to say his name because of how afraid people still were.

"It's not like I'm trying to be brave or anything by saying it, I just never knew you shouldn't. I told you I have a lot to learn." And telling him this made Rose feel a little insecure. "I bet I'm going to be the worst in the class, all I know is the few things I was able to read in my books."

She had finally admitted a fear that had been troubling her for a while now.

"Don't worry, you won't be. There are tons of others who come from Muggle families and they all learn quick enough."

As they talked they barely noticed how far the train had already taken them, passing by open fields with sheep and cows and away from London into the countryside and for a little while they just watched the scenery go by. It was peaceful.

It was around twelve when Rose heard a clattering come from outside in the hall, and when she turned she was welcome by the sight of a smiling, dimpled woman outside in the corridor pushing open their compartment door.

"Would you like anything off the cart, dears?" she asked humbly, chuckling lightly as Rose leapt to her feet to go and see the sweets she was offering. She hadn't had any breakfast that morning and she was starving, her mouth watering at the thought of the treats.

Rose had never had any money for candy before, and the Dursley's would never think to spare a penny towards her for a thing as mere as a Mars Bar. But now that she had pockets filled with silver and gold she felt the need to indulge herself in what she had been deprived of and she was all set to buy as many Mars Bars as her heart desired – except the woman didn't have any Mars Bars. Instead there were Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, Chocolate Frogs, and so much more strange things that she had never seen before in her life.

Rose wanted to try them all and she wouldn't miss a thing, so she asked for the lot. Going back into the corridor, the woman helped pile everything into her arms to bring it back into the compartment. After paying the woman Rose dumped the treats onto the empty seat next to her.

"Any sweets for you, dear?" the woman turned to Ron with a smile, his ears turning pink as he held up a lumpy and balled up looking wrapped sandwich. Rose noticed his ears did that a lot when he was embarrassed. It was kind of cute to say the least.

"No thanks, I'm all set," he told the woman who just smiled before pulling the door closed and rolling her cart to the next occupied compartment.

"I'll swap you for one of these," Rose offered, holding up a pasty to Ron and pointing at his sandwich with a sympathetic smile.

"Oh no, you don't want this, it's all dry," he told her, shaking his head back and forth, his ears turning an even brighter shade of pink than they were before.

"Will you just take the pasty?" she pushed, smiling with a clear annoyance that he wouldn't accept the snack from her and just enjoy it. It was nice to have someone to share with, and finally he took the pasty and together they ate their way through all of her pasties, candy and cakes together.

"These aren't _real _frogs, are they?" Rose asked, holding a box of Chocolate Frogs and having the feeling that nothing could really surprise her anymore.

"No, it's just a spell. It's the cards, though, that you really want. Each pack has a famous witch or wizard to collect," he explained to her before going taking a bite out of a Licorice Wand.

Opening the pack, Rose stared at the chocolate frog inside until it started to move and even croaked before it jumped on her shoulder and then to the open window.

"Hey, watch it!" Ron warned as he watched the frog crawl to the open slot of the window before it jumped out and into the wind – never to be seen again and probably squashed somewhere on the tracks.

"Ah, that's rotten luck, they only have one good jump in them to begin with," he told her, shaking his head and going back to his own half of the food and snacks as Scabbers woke up and got his head stuck in a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, his tail wiggling.

"I got Dumbledore!" Rose announced as she pulled out the card from the box where the frog had once been inside. The little image of Dumbledore wore half moon glasses that rested on a long crooked nose and he had long silver hair with a matching beard and mustache. Beneath the picture was his name, and turning it over Rose read the information about him.

**ALBUS DUMBLEDORE**

**Currently Headmaster of Hogwarts**

**Considered by many as the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragons blood and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.**

Finished reading, Rose turned the card back over and was surprised to see that Dumbledore had vanished.

"He's gone!" she said, astounded, and here she thought nothing could surprise her anymore only to be proven wrong yet again.

"Well you can't really expect him to hang around all day, can you?" said Ron to her, and at first she didn't understand how the picture could just disappear within the picture until her told her that he would be back later. She couldn't help but notice how Ron's eyes seemed to stray and stare at the pile of chocolate covered frogs; he was obviously a collector of the cards and a fan of the chocolate frogs themselves as well.

"Go ahead, help yourself, I don't mind. But just to let you know, in the Muggle world people stay in their photos," she told him.

"Do they really? As in they don't move at all? How _weird."_

Rose couldn't help but laugh, in any other situation it would be the moving pictures that were weird and not the still ones that she knew of in the Muggle world. It only made her even more excited to arrive at her new school.

"Be careful, when they say _every _flavor they really mean _every _flavor," Ron warned her as he watched her take a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans from between them.

"Of course, there are the more ordinary flavors like chocolate, marmalade, peppermint but then there's spinach, liver, and tripe. George reckons he got a bogey-flavored one once," he told her, picking up a green bean from the box and inspecting it carefully before taking a nibble from one of the corners and sticking out his tongue almost right after tasting it.

"Yuck, sprouts. Didn't I tell you?"

Rose laughed and together they continued to enjoy the Every Flavored Beans with fun and caution to those they picked to eat. Rose had already gotten coconut, strawberry, baked bean, curry, grass, sardine, coffee, and once even tried a funny looking gray one that turned out to only be pepper.

Looking out of the window, Rose found that they had passed the countryside and were now flashing past woods and rivers that twisted towards the dark green hills ahead. At peace with simply looking, she was startled by a knock on their door, and as the compartment door slid open Rose saw the round faced girl that she had passed on the platform looking teary-eyed.

"I'm sorry, but have you seen a toad at all. It's mine and I've lost him?" she asked them mournfully as she looked between them. Both Rose and Ron shook their heads.

Rose couldn't believe this girl still hadn't found her lost toad yet, and was starting to think it had been left on the platform.

"He just keeps getting away from me and now I've lost him again. Oh, what am I going to do?" she wailed, nearly in hysterics. Rose felt the urge to comfort and calm her crying at once.

"I'm sure your toad will turn up, and if you really want, we can help you look for it?" Rose offered, feeling bad for the other.

"No, that's alright and besides I wouldn't want to bother you. But thank you, and if you see him please come find me." And then she was gone, running down the corridor worriedly looking for her toad.

"I don't know why she would be so upset that she lost her toad, if it was mine I would try to lose it on _purpose._ But then again I did bring Scabbers along so I can't really be one to talk," said Ron, his rat still lying in his lap and not moving a twitch as it snoozed soundly where it was.

"He could die and you would never be able to tell the difference with the way he sleeps." Ron shook his head as he looked down at his pathetic excuse for a pet.

"George taught me a spell to make him yellow, want to see?" he asked Rose, his enthusiasm returning as he looked at her expectantly.

"Yes," she said with excitement, although Ron warned her that it hadn't worked before but she still wanted to see it anyway, and so he pulled out his wand from his jacket.

His wand looked chipped in a number of different places and there was something white and shiny glinting at the end.

"Looks like the unicorn hair is starting to stick out," he mumbled to himself before going back to what he was attempting to do. Clearing his throat, he waved his wand a little in the air and began to say the spell when the door slid open and another girl poked her head inside, already wearing her new Hogwarts robes. She had bushy brown hair and a rather large set of front teeth.

"You haven't happened to see a toad around here, have you? A girl named Neveah has lost one." She seemed to have a know-it-all bossy sort of voice but she didn't come across as rude or mean.

"We already told her we haven't; we even offered to help look but she turned us down."

Technically it had been Rose who offered their help and not Ron, but it was doubtful the girl would care for technicalities much as her eyes had fallen on Ron's wand and stayed there for a second before she looked at his face.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Well let's see it then." And she came in and sat opposite of them, patient to see what form of magic and spell Ron was going to practice in front of them.

Ron nodded his head, cleared his throat for a second time and tried again.

"_Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,_

_Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow!"_

There was a small spark that came from his wand but besides that it did nothing apart from waking the rat before it went back to sleep once more in its master's lap – the same dull, dirty gray as it had always been.

"Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good, is it? Though I've only practiced a few simple spells myself but they've all worked for me so far," the other girl said, speaking very fast to them, and as she looked at Rose her eyes grew wide with realization.

"Holy cricket, you're Rose Potter!" she gasped, blinking as she stared at the other girl. "I've read all about you, of course. I'm Hermione Granger, and you are?"

She was looking at Ron, now.

"Ron Weasley," he muttered with a small glare. It was obvious he didn't like the girl much. Rose didn't understand why he seemed so put off by her, the girl was all right enough and she hadn't done them any harm or foul to deserve Ron's coldness.

"A pleasure, I'm sure." The girl's tone sounded less pleasing then that her words were meant to describe before she stood and went back to the door.

"We'll be arriving soon I heard, you two had best get your robes on." She told them, before turning to Ron. "And you have dirt on your nose by the way, right there."

She gestured to a spot on her own nose before turning and leaving them alone as Ron rubbed at his face.

"Would you mind stepping out for a moment so I could change into my robes?" Rose asked the boy, her face a deep shade of red as she motioned to the door for him to leave the compartment.

The words of her request sinking in, Ron's face turned as red as his hair before he stumbled up out of his seat, mumbling a 'sure' to her. Pulling down the curtain of the door on his way out, he slid the door shut behind him and left her alone.

Rose went to get her robes from her trunk. Pulling them out, she laid them neatly on the seat and had begun to slip off her jacket when she barely heard the quick stomping of feet outside. She had only just pulled off her blouse when suddenly she heard arguing outside between Ron and apparently another boy.

"You can't go in there. Don't! No, stop!"

And then the door was slid open and Rose found herself face to face with the pale boy from Madame Malkin's, and herself almost completely naked in front of him. Barely caring as his face turned a matching red as that of her own she screamed and pulled out her wand pointing it at the boy.

"_Petrificus Totalus!" _she yelled, the spell being one she had learned from a book, whilst trying to cover herself with her robe at the same time. As he went rigid and fell, the boys that had been with him – minus Ron who had been outside – ran away back down the hall and left him there with them.

And then Hermione was back, taking in the situation and almost immediately pushing the paralyzed boy outside with Ron before entering the compartment with Rose and trying to calm the terrified girl down. Rose had never been so embarrassed in all her life and tears began to prick at her eyes with the humiliation she felt as Ron was left to deal with the blond outside.

"That was horrible. Why didn't he knock?" Rose sniffled as she pulled on her uniform shirt and sweater over herself and then began pulling on her skirt. Her back was turned to Hermione who was keeping guard now near the door, although Rose doubted anyone would be peeking inside after that spell.

"Boys are idiots, I'm sure he didn't even realize that you were changing when he came in," Hermione said, wondering briefly to herself how long it would take for the boy to regain control of his body again. Hopefully it would be soon before they arrived, otherwise Rose would have to explain herself and what had happened – and she doubted Rose wanted to tell that story to any of the Professors or Prefects on the train.

"But that spell was brilliant, I also know it," Hermione boasted a little as she watched Rose turn around, finally pulling her Hogwarts robes on.

Rose slipped her arms into the sleeves before trying to put on the bowtie that worked as the equivalent for the boys' ties.

"Here, let me help you," the bushy haired girl offered rather kindly as she stepped closer and assisted her.

"Thank you," Rose smiled appreciatively as Hermione finished before stepping back and nodding in approval at her handy work.

Now that they were all done, they slid open the compartment door to find Ron standing there staring down at the other boy still on the floor, and Rose noticed the wiggling of his fingers slightly.

"The spell said the person can't speak or move but they can still hear, see, feel and comprehend what's going on around them," Rose spoke, reciting what she had read in the Standard Book of Spells now tucked at the bottom of her trunk.

"You can go in and change if you want, Ron, I'll stay out here with him until he can move again," Rose told him, tucking her skirt beneath her knees and bending down next to Draco.

Ron only nodded dumbly, still shocked by the use of the spell without any warning, and went into the compartment to take his turn, mumbling that he had 'told him not to' before shutting the door.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" asked Hermione, but Rose shook her head, knowing that the other girl should be getting back soon to whoever she was with – possibly the girl Neveah who had seemed distressed enough already.

Rose would be fine with Ron, and she let Hermione know that before watching the girl walk back down the corridor.

Once Hermione was out of sight, Rose tried to remember the counter spell for the _Petrificus Totalus _curse she had cast on the boy, when she noticed him start to blink his eyes and move them to look around him until his eyes found hers and for some reason unknown to her Rose smiled before it quickly turned to a grimace.

"It was your own fault barging in like that so rudely. You should have knocked when you saw that the blinds of the door were pulled down," she told him smugly, feeling little remorse for her actions. "I'm not sorry I did it, I had every right to cast that curse. Would you believe it if I told you I never cast that curse before? I had read about it but I had nothing to try it on and my aunt and uncle would have had a fit if I tried it on my vile cousin. Oh, I'm blabbering aren't I?"

She adverted her eyes, a slight tinge of pink covering her cheeks with the embarrassment of realizing she had been ranting to an immobile boy who couldn't do anything but listen to her.

"If you weren't so rude and arrogant and didn't remind me of my cousin so terribly I think we could be friends," Rose told him wishfully, not realizing that was what Draco wanted as well – her friendship but he couldn't change who he was. He was a Malfoy, and Malfoys were meant to behave and act in a certain way; it was how he'd been raised. But he was also determined to find a way around that, to make her his friend, to be in the same house together and Malfoys always got what they wanted. So it was that Draco Malfoy wanted Rose Potter.

"You're mad," he said to her, as he regained more control over his motor skills, coming out of the curse. He couldn't believe it; first she had insulted him the first time they'd met, with her calling him rude, and now she had started cursing him.

"I'm done." The door of the compartment slid open just as Draco began to sit up, sneering the moment he laid eyes on Ron in his secondhand robes and Rose had a perfectly good hunch of why, because even if the Weasleys were one of the old wizarding families that he had spoken of, they obviously weren't of the same class as the Malfoys. Rose wanted to scoff at the obviousness of the pale boy. It was sad, really.

"Let me help you up," Rose offered, seeing how Ron was staring wearily at Malfoy, his eyes turned narrow in a suspicious glare. Obviously these two would not be getting along very well in the future if they were already sharing such loathsome looks between one another.

Draco ignored Rose's offered hand and pushed himself up, brushing off his robes.

"Fine, be like that." Snorting, Rose turned to push Ron back inside the compartment to wait it out until they arrived, but suddenly her robes were being tugged on.

"You'll soon learn that some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter," Draco sneered, "You don't want to be making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

Rose turned and looked down at the outstretched hand before her.

"I have enough faith in my judgement to pick my own friends, thanks," she told him determinedly, even if it meant throwing away the chance of having another friend. But she didn't want a friend who was like Draco, one so rude and cruel.

Before Draco could say anything more to her, a voice was ringing throughout the train in an echoing announcement that made Rose's heartbeat match that of a hummingbird's.

_"We will reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time. We ask that you please leave all luggage on the train, as it will be taken to the school separately."_

Rose practically jumped up and down on the spot, a long-repressed smile starting to lift at the corners of her mouth and her eyes lighting up as she turned from Draco to help Ron to clean the mess of candy they had made. Ron, she noticed, seemed paler than usual underneath his freckles.

After finishing, they joined the other students cramming into the corridors. The train came to a slowing halt as it pulled in and Rose could barely contain herself.

"I'm so excited!" she admitted to no one in particular as she tried to squeeze her way through the crowd of children and teens, her stomach lurching high within her until she swore it could reach her rapidly beating heart if it didn't slow, almost worried it would burst.

Finally, at last, after all the pushing and shoving of others, including of that coming from Draco and the two goons he had been with earlier, she made her way out of the door of the train and onto the dark platform. The night's chill left her shivering, Ron behind her as she looked around in the dark and then suddenly the light from a lamp came bobbing over their short heads and Rose heard a very familiar voice that could never be mistaken.

"All firs' years over here, this way firs' years. Are you alright there, Rose?" Hagrid asked, spotting her with Ron as the crowd cleared before slowly more first years made their way towards them.

"I'm fine, Hagrid, a little nervous," she told him honestly, scuffing her shiny and new black shoes against the stone beneath her feet.

His hairy face only looked down on her, a smile clear through his thick beard.

"You'll do just fine, so don' you worry about a thing," he told her before looking over the crowd of students piling in front of him to find out where to go from there.

"'There any more firs' years now? No? Then all firs' years follow me and don't forget to mind your step, don't want anyone falling and being left behind now, do we?" he joked lightly, making a motioning gesture with his hand over his shoulder to follow him and so they did, stumbling and tripping the whole way after him.

Rose was starting to get pushed back to the rear of the group of children and away from Ron, when a hand took hold of hers and pulled her back to the front but it let go before she could see who it had belonged to. She found that she was right next to Ron again, and she blushed, assuming it had been him who had pulled her back, yet he looked completely unaware that she had ever been gone from his side.

Nobody said much, and Neveah just kept sniffling at the loss of her toad that she seemed to have lost again, and therefore lost far too often. All around them it was dark, so much so that Rose could only presume that either side of them was the thickness of trees clustered close so no light from beyond penetrated their fortress of greenery and wilderness.

"It's just around this bend here that you'll be getting yer very first look at Hogwarts," Hagrid said and Rose had to hold herself back from letting out a squeal of excitement.

This was is it, she was really here, she would finally see it. And then when they made the turn around the bend she pushed herself through the crowd to the front to stand by Hagrid, Ron following with less enthusiasm. And suddenly, while all the other children let out their 'Ooohs' and 'Ah's', Rose couldn't breathe; it was more than she could ever have imagined.

The path they had been walking on had suddenly opened out to the edge of a great black lake, and across it, perched atop a high mountain, was a castle; glowing and more brilliant and beautiful than anything they had ever seen, with more towers and turrets than it was possible to count. It was magnificent and grand, and for once in Rose's life she felt like she had come home.

It wasn't until Hagrid called out to them, telling them that there was to be no more than four people to a boat, that Rose snapped out of it and noticed the boats that would take them across to the castle. Rose made a run to be the first one into one of the boats and pulled Ron in behind her by the hand as she stepped into the closest one.

"So what do you think?" Hagrid asked in a whisper to her, motioning toward the castle and Rose had to bite her lip to stop her screams of excitement. Then the man got into a boat a little stouter than the rest just for him.

"I don't think there are any words to describe it," she whispered honestly back to him with a smile that he shared with her before he turned around and waited as Hermione and Neveah climbed in behind them. Draco was in the boat next to Ron and Rose with his two goons.

"Everyone in?" Hagrid shouted, checking all the other students in the boats and making sure no one was being left behind, "Good then, now we can get going - FORWARD!"

And all at once the fleet of little boats moved as one, going across the water that remained smooth as glass. And in that moment as they crossed, everyone remained completely silent, just staring up at the castle and taking every detail in. Its great architecture towered further and further over them, growing even larger as they sailed closer in their boats towards the cliff it so proudly rested on.

When they finally docked the boats, they stepped out and climbed a flight of stone steps until they found themselves crowded around the largest oak door Rose had ever seen. She supposed such a big castle needed a big door.

"Everyone here? Good." And then, lifting a giant fist Hagrid knocked three times.

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

The Sorting Hat

After the third knock, the door swung wide open in front of them and a tall, black-haired witch wearing emerald-colored robes stood there waiting for them. Rose took from the woman's stern face that she was someone you would not want to cross or upset.

"Here are the firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take it over from here now," she replied and Hagrid gave a nod as she pulled another door open for them.

Rose was once again astounded. The entrance hall could have fitted the entire Dursley home within it; it was that enormous. The stone walls of the inside were lit by the same flaming torches as the ones she had seen in Gringotts, and the ceiling was so high Rose didn't even bother to try and make out the detail of it, and just ahead in front of them was a gorgeous marble staircase leading upwards.

With Hagrid having taken his leave, the group of young students followed Professor McGonagall, their shoes tapping across the flag stone floor as they walked. As she stayed close behind Ron, Rose could hear the chatter and droning of hundreds of voices coming from a doorway off to the right of them, and she knew then that the rest of the school faculty and students must have come ahead of them. All the while, Professor McGonagall was leading the first years into a small but empty chamber just off the hall with a reasonable amount enough room for all of them.

Crowding into the room, everyone squeezed together, and Rose winced as someone stepped on her foot. She pressed herself closer to Ron, trying to get away from the repeating offender of her poor toes as the others all peered nervously around them.

"First off, I would like to welcome all of you to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall with a slight smile as she looked over the heads of the first years before her. Somehow, Rose and Ron were pushed to the front and just as Professor McGonagall was about to say more, Rose heard some croaking. Looking down at her feet, she found a toad.

"Neveah, I think I found your toad!" Rose called for the girl, leaning down to pick up the slimy creature, just in time for Neveah to push through the crowd to get to her. The girl's face showed nothing but happiness and relief as she took her toad from Rose's hands.

"Trevor! Thank you so much for finding him." She smiled at Rose before they both looked up to receive a stern look from Professor McGonagall for the interruption of the woman's speech. Rose shrunk back while Neveah retreated back into the crowd of students with her pet.

"Sorry," Rose muttered, looking down at her feet before Professor McGonagall once again looked into the crowd of young children to continue.

"The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you are to take your seats in the Great Hall, you must first be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin."

Next to her, Rose saw Draco nod and smirk at his goons, clearly knowing for certain that he himself would be placed in the last house.

"Each one of these houses has their own noble history to tell, and each have produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points. Any rule breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the House Cup," Professor McGonagall told them all, seeming to speak to each of them as she looked them strictly over once more.

"The Sorting Ceremony will begin momentarily in front of the rest of the school. I suggest that before then you all smarten yourselves up as you wait." Her eyes looked over those at the front, lingering on Neveah's cloak which was fastened under her left ear, the smudge on Ron's nose and when her eyes fell onto Rose the girl did her best to run her fingers through her hair and tame it as best she could.

"I shall return when we are ready for you, until then, please remain here quietly." Professor McGonagall left the chamber and Rose swallowed nervously. She fidgeted with her robes and uniform, patting herself down and flattening out any wrinkles as best as she could. She was so nervous. The whole school was going to see her be sorted, and she had no idea what house she would be in. A group of children were already talking about being in Slytherin together; amongst them were Draco and his lackeys.

"Ron, how exactly do we get sorted into our houses?" she asked the boy, whom was beside her and still scrubbing at his nose trying to get the smudge off, but he only seemed to be making it worse.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred told me it's suppose to hurt a lot, but I think he was just trying to scare me," he told her, his brows scrunching and eyes crossing as he continued to rub his nose until it had turned nearly red.

"Here, let me help you," she offered. Stepping closer in front of him she pinched some of the sleeve of her robe between her fingers and used it to just rub away the dirt on his nose. She didn't notice how Ron's ears turned pink as she did so.

Inside Rose's chest her heart was thumping wildly at the thought of having to perform a test in front of the entire school, she had read as much as she could but she only knew a little magic. And that was nowhere near enough to have her believe she could past a test, although if she had to demonstrate she supposed she could always freeze Draco again, but she hadn't practiced any _real_ spells yet.

"There," she said, pulling back and looking at her handy work and trying to calm herself down, ignoring the same frightened look all the others had that she was wearing inside. And the only one who was really talking much was that Hermione Granger they had met on the train, talking very fast with another girl about all the spells she knew and had learned.

The only time Rose had ever felt this nervous was when she'd had to take a letter home from school about how she had turned her teacher's wig blue. She tried to take deep breaths and keep her eyes down as she waited for the moment that would come any second when Professor McGonagall would come back in to lead her to her doom.

And then something happened that left Rose jumping seven feet in the air and hugging close to Draco – not that she did it on purpose, he'd just seemed closest to her at that moment, and besides Ron had pushed him away the moment she noticed what she'd done. Suddenly, people were screaming.

"What the-?" And she gasped along with several other people including Draco and Ron next to her as the three clung to each other's robes in a frightened reflex. There were about twenty ghosts that had just streamed right through the back wall of the chamber. They were pearly-white in color and just transparent enough to see through them, as they glided though the air and across the room talking with one another, completely unaware of the first years. They seemed to be arguing about something.

"Forgive and forget, is what I say, we ought to just give him a second chance-" said what looked like a fat little monk of a ghost.

"Oh, my dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances that he could possibly deserve? He gives us ghosts a bad name, and you know for yourself that he is not even _really_ a ghost," another ghost said exasperatedly, this one wearing a ruff and tights, before he suddenly took notice of all the children in the room whom were watching them.

"I say, what are you lot all doing in here?" the ghost asked the group of students, not one answering him as they stared wide-eyed back at him.

"Oh, how wonderful, new students!" cried the Friar joyfully, smiling at them all as he glided through the air to be in front of them to get a better look at the young minds.

"And just about to be sorted, I suppose?" he asked them, and a few first years nodded dumbly in reply.

"Well then, I hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar, excitedly.

"Hufflepuff was my own house when I was alive, you know," he told them, giving them another jolly smile.

"If you would please move along, Friar, the Sorting is just about to begin," Professor McGonagall said in a sharp voice as she watched the ghosts leaving through the walls one by one.

"Now, if you all could only form a line," she said, watching as they all scrambled to get behind one another. "Now follow me."

And they did, each one falling behind another student, and Rose felt like her legs had turned to lead before she was pushed behind a sandy-haired boy, Ron behind her. They all walked out of the chamber in single file, and back across the hall and, at last, through a large pair of double doors leading into the Great Hall.

It was like the first time she had stepped into Diagon Alley all over again, but this was even _more _magical and amazing. It was beyond her feelings at the splendid wonder of Diagon Alley. To Rose, in that moment, the Great Hall was like nothing else on Earth.

The entire hall was lit by hundreds, no, _thousands_ of candles floating in midair over four long tables, tables where the rest of the students were sitting, where she assumed they would also be seated after the Sorting. Each table was covered with shining gold plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where Rose could see all the teachers sitting among themselves. In front of the teachers, a single four-legged stool was placed, and on top of the stool was a pointed old wizard's hat. Professor McGonagall left them in line to stand in the center in between two of the long tables, as she moved in front of them and up to stand next to the stool.

Looking up at the ceiling, Rose was awed by the starry sky above them, for it was as if there was no roof or ceiling at all and they were exposed completely to the elements and heavens themselves.

"It's not real you know, it's only bewitched to look like the night sky," Rose heard Hermione whisper to someone somewhere behind her in the line.

When she noticed the other students turn their eyes from them to the hat atop of the stool, Rose did so too. Staring at the old thing, she took in the patches, frays and how dirty it was.

'_Are we suppose to pull a rabbit out of it?' _Rose wondered before realizing how ridiculous it sounded – after having read so much she knew that wasn't really magic and was ashamed for even thinking about such a thing.

For a moment everyone was silent, not even a murmur came from a single first year as they kept their places in line, leaning to the sides only to stare at the hat before suddenly the thing twitched and a rip formed near the brim of it like a big mouth, and when the hat started to sing Rose wanted to scream. After all, it was a _talking, singing _hat. She found that this was weirder than the ghosts.

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make you real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

When the hat was done the hall burst into applause, while Rose was still trying to get over the fact that this was a talking _hat._ But she gave a gentle, slightly delayed applause nonetheless with everyone else. The hat even bowed to each table, _bowed._

"So all we have to do is try on the hat, that's a relief! I'm going to kill Fred when I get the chance, he told me I would have to wrestle a troll," Ron sighed, but all Rose could do was offer him a weak smile.

Although still nervous, she had to admit that trying on a talking hat was a great alternative to having to cast a spell.

'_If only it wasn't necessary for everyone to watch,'_ Rose thought, distressed and feeling a bit dizzy, she was so anxious about which house she was going to be put in. All she wanted was to make friends, to be a good witch, and other things that would have made her parents proud. If only there was a house for people who felt queasy, because that would be the _perfect_ house for her to be put in.

Holding the hat up above the stool with one hand and the other holding a long piece of parchment, Professor McGonagall looked at the first years.

"When I call your name, please come up and take a seat, I will then put the hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses. First: Abbott, Hannah!" she called, and a slightly pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails, not very different from Rose's own, except longer, stumbled out of the line, made her way up the steps and took a seat. Professor McGonagall then placed the hat on top of her head, and there was a moment of silence and then-

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted, and the Hufflepuff table at the right cheered and clapped as Hannah made her way to take a seat with the rest. As she sat down Rose saw the fat Friar from earlier wave to Susan joyfully as she joined his former house.

"Bones, Susan!" Professor McGonagall called.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted again as Susan joined Hannah at the Hufflepuff table.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat called out and the table second to the left broke out clapping as several of the Ravenclaw students even stood as they cheered the first year as he took a seat with them, some shaking hands with him in welcome.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy!"

She too went into Ravenclaw, and after her, "Brown, Lavender!" was the first new Gryffindor of the day as the table on the far left exploded into loud clapping and even louder cheering. Ron's twin brothers were even catcalling.

"Bullstrode, Millicent!"

The hat put her in Slytherin, and for a moment, as Rose watched them she became nervous. The Slytherins all seemed so unpleasant, but she didn't want to judge them all either by appearance or what she'd heard about them so far – none of it being good.

Rose was starting to feel sick again and she tried to take another deep breath, she could only imagine throwing up in front of everyone before even getting sorted. She inhaled again, trying to have confidence and not think too much about being sorted.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!" Professor McGonagall called, and another boy came up to the front. The hat put him in Hufflepuff.

Rose liked to think of herself as an observant girl, and noticed that sometimes the hat seemed to take its time before shouting out which house people were in, whereas at other times it decided right away.

"Finnigan, Seamus!" McGonagall called and the sandy-haired boy in front of Rose walked up and sat there for almost a whole minute before the hat finally decided to announce he was in Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!"

For a moment, Hermione seemed nervous as she stepped up, taking a deep breath as she muttered to herself, "Oh, no, okay, just relax," before walking the rest of the way and taking seat on the stool where Professor McGonagall slowly lowered the hat onto her head.

"Mental, that one, I'm telling you," Ron whispered to Rose, hearing Hermione mutter to herself, and she made sure to nudge him disapprovingly in his side before looking forward again.

"Ah, right, then. Right. Okay," the hat muttered, the wrinkles and folds forming a furrow over what seemed like sunken eyes in the hat before it finally called out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Ron groaned beside her and Rose smiled as she rolled her eyes, feeling a bit more comfortable as she nudged him again for being so rude. She almost hoped he was indeed in Gryffindor with Hermione, just to spite him for being so mean to the girl. Maybe that way he would learn to be nice to her.

Next was Neveah Longbottom, the girl who always seemed to be losing her toad. Rose hoped she put the creature in some type of a cage or tank this time so she didn't lose it again. She gasped when she saw the poor girl trip on her way up, and when Draco laughed she nudged him in the side, too.

Finally, Neveah made her way to the stool and took a seat before Professor McGonagall placed the hat on her head. The hat seemed to take forever to decide where to put her, before at long last it made its decision.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Rose made sure to clap with all the rest. But the poor girl was still so nervous she had run off with the hat still on her head and had to run right back up to give it back as everyone giggled and laughed before she gave it to "MacDougal, Morag," who was next to be sorted.

When it was finally Draco's turn he swaggered forward to take his seat at the front, and the hat granted his wish as it had barely touched his head and perfect combed hair before it shouted out the house his entire family had been placed in before him.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat screamed, and with a smirk Draco joined his friends, Crabbe and Goyle, at the Slytherin table looking very pleased with himself. Once more, Rose found herself rolling her eyes, turning from him when he gave her a smirk and arrogant nod.

Draco secretly crossed his fingers that Rose would be with him in Slytherin. After all, she had accepted his hand in friendship, despite refusing to kick Weasley to the side for him, and so she couldn't be too turned-off that she would beg the hat not to put her in Slytherin.

The number of first years at the front were dwindling as they were placed in their houses, until there weren't many left along with Rose to be sorted.

"Moon"... "Nott"… "Parkinson" ... then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" ... then there was "Perks, Sally-Anne" ... and finally came Rose's turn to be sorted.

"Potter, Rose!"

With her name called, Rose felt as if her heart was dangling on a thin string ready to drop into her stomach as the entire hall broke out into whispers that spread throughout the tables like wild fire until her name was all she could hear. She looked to Hagrid at the teacher's table and he gave her a reassuring smile that made her feel a bit better.

"Did she say,_ Potter_?" someone asked, as if believing they'd heard wrong.

"_The _Rose Potter?" asked another.

And finally, after what felt like a mile-walk, Rose sat herself on the stool looking scared and more than a little nervous as she gripped the sides of her seat. Slowly, seemingly slower than she had done with the others, McGonagall placed the hat on Rose's head and stepped back.

"Hmm. Difficult, very difficult," the hat said thoughtfully, its voice in her ears, ringing like an echo that drowned out the rapid beating of her heart.

"Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh, yes. And a thirst to prove yourself, now that is very interesting. I've only ever had one other this hard to place. Hmm. Where shall I put you?" the hat hummed in thought.

Rose gripped the sides of the stool even tighter, as she closed her eyes with her heart feeling just about ready to explode.

'_I just want to be a great witch so that I can make my parents proud. But I don't want to be with a bunch of bullies in Slytherin if everyone is like Draco, either. I just want to make friends,' _she thought, and she nearly jumped when she heard the hat whisper a reply to her thoughts.

"But have you ever thought that you might be able to change that? I can see everything in your head and the ability is in there to make a difference within the houses. You have characteristics of all four, which makes you very hard to place. But if you want to be great, then Slytherin can no doubt help you there," it told her, and Rose tried to give no response, not even a thought of a reply to what the hat had told her. Until one last thought slipped through, and confirmed the hat's final decision for her.

'_I can make difference.'_

"Well then, better be… SLYTHERIN!" the hat screamed to the hall, and there was no clapping or cheering at first, just silence. No one had expected _that_, at all.

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

A Snake's Dinner and Dessert

Gasps of surprise sounded at all the tables, and even among the teachers, as more whispers broke out before at last it was Professor Dumbledore who stood and applauded with a smile. Draco followed, even standing up at the table as he clapped the loudest of them all before Hagrid joined in, before the rest of the teachers and students.

Coming to her side, Professor McGonagall took the Sorting Hat back from Rose's head, and watched the girl remove stiff fingers from where they had grasped the stool before walking on shaky legs to the Slytherin table. She she took a seat next to a beaming Draco, who had pushed Crabbe over to make room for her beside him.

When she looked over to the Gryffindor table, Percy and half of the rest of the Gryffindors seemed to be in shock at her placement, and after sharing an unsure glance between them the twins joined in with the cheering and the mood eased as they smiled and catcalled for her and she felt really relieved. When she looked at Ron, who was still waiting to be sorted himself, he appeared almost hurt that she had been placed in Slytherin.

Giving him as big a smile as she could, she mouthed, "_Still friends?_"to him across the hall, and before shooting her an uneasy look, he smiled back. And when he mouthed back a "_Yeah_"to her question, Rose had never been so happy, pleased that Ron didn't hate her despite how unsure he seemed.

When Rose looked at Hagrid for some reassurance that being in Slytherin was okay, it wasn't any better than Ron, as he gave her an almost concerned and forced smile. But he gave her a nod of approval, even if he didn't really seem to know what to think either.

"I knew we would be in the same house together, I just knew it!" Draco said beside her smugly, even more pleased with himself now than when he'd been placed in Slytherin, as if was all because of him.

"This doesn't change anything, I still think you're rude and arrogant," she said to him, looking him in the eyes before turning back to watch Ron and the others start the sorting again with longing. She doubted they would be in the same house now. But then again, whoever said people had to be in the same house to be friends?

As she waited for Ron's turn Rose looked to the High Table, and at the center in a large, golden chair was Albus Dumbledore. Thanks to the card she had gotten in her Chocolate Frog, she was able to recognize him. His silver hair seemed to shine just as brightly as the ghosts. Their eyes met and he gave her a nod and smile that gave her the strangest sense of peace, as if everything really would be all right and that he wasn't judging her in any way.

Rose also spotted Professor Quirrell, easily recognizing him and his strange purple turban from their meeting in the Leaky Cauldron, and looking just as nervous and twitchy as the last she had seen him. And suddenly her scar was burning and her head aching, but she tried to shake it off as she turned back to the four remaining first years being sorted.

"Thomas, Dean!"

A black boy, even taller than Ron, stepped up and soon joined Hermione and Neveah at the Gryffindor table.

"Turpin, Lisa!"

After Lisa was put in Ravenclaw, it was Ron's turn at last, and Rose almost laughed at how green he looked; almost as bad as Hagrid when they'd gotten off the cart ride in Gringotts.

Ron jumped in his seat when the hat gave a loud "Ha!" as it was placed on his head, and even Professor McGonagall gave a slight flinch of surprise as she finished putting the hat on Ron's red hair.

"Another Weasley! I know just what to do with you! GRYFFINDOR!"

All of Ron's brothers stood from the table and cheered as they welcomed their youngest brother to the table.

At least, Rose suppose, the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables were next to each other, so she could turn around and talk to Hermione or one of the Weasleys if she wanted to without yelling.

After Ron was "Zabini, Blaise" ... the very last first year left, who was made a Slytherin. He took a seat right across from Rose, though didn't bother to give her even a glance as he sat down. And now that he was sorted, Professor McGonagall rolled up the scroll with all their names and took both the sorting hat and stool away.

Suddenly, Rose felt a rolling in her stomach, and looked down at her still empty plate. She was starving; her nerves had worked her into a hunger and the Pumpkin Pasties she'd had on the train felt like she had eaten them years in the past.

Suddenly, Albus Dumbledore was on his feet. He was like a beacon as he beamed brightly at all of the students before him, looking like nothing could have pleased him more in the world than to see them, his arms wide open as if wishing to embrace each person to his bosom.

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin, I would like to say a few words. Just a few start-of-term notices I wish to announce. The first years, please note that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Also, out caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you that-" He paused to gesture to the man at the doors of the great hall, a cat with red eyes swishing its tail as it sat at her master's feet before Dumbledore continued.

"The third-floor corridor is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you." And then he sat back down in his seat.

For a minute, Rose just blinked in astonishment to his warning.

"Is he – perhaps a bit mad?" she mistakenly asked Draco.

"My father says so," was his only reply before leaning over and glaring at Crabbe.

"Don't eat all the potatoes you fat lard!" he yelled.

Rose was confused. What potatoes? Turning back in front of her, Rose's mouth fell open at all the food now on the table. Every dish in front of them was now piled high with the most delicious looking food she had ever seen. Never in her entire life had she seen so many of her favorite foods, not to mention on one table at the same time. There was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, bacon, sausages and steak, roast potatoes, boiled potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, carrots, peas gravy, ketchup and also, strangely, peppermint humbugs.

It wasn't that her uncle actually starved her, per say, but Rose had never been allowed to eat as much as she would have liked. Anything she wanted, Dudley would get before her until there was nothing left, even if it ended up making him sick; it was always just to spite her.

She tried to get a bit of everything onto her plate, except the peppermint humbugs, and with one bite she was in heaven. It was all so delicious and wonderful.

Behind her, Rose heard Ron and Hermione speak with one of the ghosts. Apparently, his name was Sir Nicolas de Mimsy, but everyone seemed to call him Nearly Headless Nick and she wanted to find out why, then heard Seamus ask him how he could be _nearly _headless?

As Sir Nicolas talked with the Gryffindors he mentioned how they had lost the House Championship six years in a row to Slytherin, and how the Bloody Baron, Slytherin's very own ghost, was unbearable in reminding them. The Bloody Baron had taken the seat on the other side of Draco, who was looking none too pleased about it as the Baron stared with his blank eyes, his face a gaunt mask and robes covered in blood. Seamus asked how the Bloody Baron got so bloody, and Sir Nicolas replied that he had never asked. Rose didn't think that to be a very polite thing to ask anyway, and she returned to her meal.

When the students had eaten all that they could, which for Rose was almost every speck on her plate, what remained of the food faded and vanished from their plates leaving them just as sparkly clean as before. It was only a moment later that dessert appeared.

There were blocks of ice cream in every flavor that Rose could ever think of. There were apple pies, treacle tarts – her favorite – chocolate éclairs, jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, jelly, and rice pudding.

Rose helped herself to a nice slice of treacle tart.

At her own table the conversation turned to family, as one after another they spoke of pure-blood and lineage, and how better they were than other families. After a while, Rose got tired of listening to Draco's nonsense. The conversation at the Gryffindor table seemed to be such fun that Rose found herself regretting not arguing more with the hat to put her into a different house.

Finishing off her treacle tart, Rose yawned with fatigue and turned her head to look back at the High Table, nothing better to do when sitting with the other Slytherins. Hagrid was taking a long, deep drink from his goblet, Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore, and there, sitting next to Professor Quirrell, leaning to the side towards him in conversation as he listened to the other, was another man with his chin between his thumb and index finger. He had long, greasy black hair, sallow skin and a hooked nose.

It happened so quickly; what occurred next. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Professor Quirrell and straight into her eyes – sharp, hot pain stabbed into her skull through her scar and Rose pressed her palm to her forehead.

"Ow!" she hissed and Draco turned to look at her strangely.

"What's wrong; being part of the great Slytherin house too much for your brain to comprehend?" he asked, looking at her with a smirk as she held her head before looking up at him.

"Not at all, I just have a headache from hearing you talk about yourself so much," she retorted with fiery venom that distracted her from the pain in her head as it disappeared almost as fast as it had come as Draco scoffed and turned pink in the cheeks.

But it wasn't as easy to get rid of the feeling that Rose had gotten from looking at the teacher – she sensed that he didn't very much like her at all, and it said so in the way he looked at her, though she had no reason why it was he seemed so disturbed by her.

"Draco, who's that teacher talking with Professor Quirrell?" she asked him, her eyes still on the man's face. Draco didn't ask how she already knew Professor Quirrell, and simply looked up to see whom it was she was speaking of.

"That's Professor Snape; he's the head of our house," he told her, looking at Snape with admiration in his eyes.

"What's he teach?" she asked as they both looked towards the man up front as his eyes turned back to Quirrell next to him.

"Potions, but everyone knows it's Defense Against the Dark Arts that he really wants. He's been after the job for years, shame he lost out to that stuttering fool, Quirrell," Draco told her before going back to his dessert.

Rose watched Professor Snape for a while. Something about him looked familiar to her, but she could place where she had seen him before – if she had ever seen him before at all. But he didn't look at her again, not once during the remainder of the night.

At long last the banquet seemed to be coming to an end as the remainder of their desserts vanished and Professor Dumbledore got back to his feet before them, and the hall fell into a respectful silence.

"Our caretaker also wishes to remind you that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. And for all those interested, Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of this term and anyone wishing to play for their house teams should speak with Madame Hooch." He paused to pull out his wand, his words on Quidditch bringing about excited conversation amongst the students before they quieted down again.

"And now, before we all go to bed, let us join in singing the school song!" Dumbledore cried, and Rose noticed how all the other teachers' smiles seemed to be fixed. She couldn't believe that even Hogwarts had a school anthem.

With a flick of his wand, a long golden stream of ribbon flew out at the end, rising high into the air, and twisted itself into words for them to sing along to. Dumbledore told everyone to pick their favorite tune before they started. And then the whole school bellowed as they sang along:

"_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back we've forgot,_

_Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot."_

Not two people seemed to finish singing at the same time. In the end, it was only the Weasley twins still standing and singing to a slow funeral march. And still grinning from ear to ear, Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand, and when they finished the twins both bowed for the entire hall before taking their seats.

Dumbledore seemed to clap the loudest amongst everyone, "Music, a magic beyond all we do here. And now it is time for bed. Off you go." He wiped his eyes and then shooed them all off.

The Gryffindors all followed Percy. Rose was too tired to take the time to really observe who the Prefect was for their house that was leading them, or even which way they were going as they went. She was too tired to even be amazed at the moving and talking paintings on the wall as they went up and then down some stairs. Her legs were like dead weight and she was just so sleepy from the food and everything that had already happened for the day that she was becoming dead weight until Draco dragged her by the arm.

Finally they had manage to arrive in the dungeons of the castle which Rose could not remember the details of getting their, but the cold chill was enough to wake her up and notice her surroundings. She had a feeling she would be getting lost coming back down here on her own. They stopped at a wall and Rose yawned before watching the prefect spoke the word "Pure-blood" and then next thing she knew the wall was opening up to reveal a passage inside.

'_Incredible, it's like being in an underwater shipreck. Eerie and beautiful' _The ceiling of the common room was high and there were large windows that looked out into the depths of the Hogwarts lake. The water was dark accept for the stream of moonlight shining through the water.

When they were all inside the prefect, Gemma Farley, directed them each to which way was the girls dormitory and which was the boys. Rose followed the rest of the girls into there dormitory. She ended up sharing with Pansy Parkinson, Daphne Greengrass, Millicent Bulstrode, and Tracey Davis.

From the ceiling hung beautiful silver lanterns that lit up the room. There were five ancient four-poster beds and from them hung green silk hangings, and the bed spreads were embroidered with silver thread and in front of each bed was one of their trunks. The walls had the same large windows looking out into the depths of the Black Lake, the sound of the water swooshing and lapping at the windows soothing. And between each window were medieval tapestries depicting the adventures and triumphs of past great Slytherins. All were women so she assumed that the tapestries in the boys dormitory had all males Slytherins on their tapestries.

Tired, the girls all ignored one another as they searched for their trunk to find which bed was theirs. Rose's bed was right between Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass. Opening her trunk Rose change into her pajamas before she fell into her bed. So soft it felt like she was sleeping on a cloud and before she knew it, she was falling asleep to the lullaby of the water outside the window as fish and other creatures swam by.

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

The Potions Master

"There she is, look," someone said as they pointed her out.

"Where, I don't see her?" they asked the other, looking for her.

"She's next to the tall kid, with the red hair. The girl," he explained.

"Is she wearing glasses?" he asked.

"Did you see her face?"

"Did you see her scar?"

'_Cant they talk about anything else?' _Rose was close to losing it as the whispers followed her all around the school wherever she went. It had been like this since she left the dormitory that morning. People even stood outside her classrooms trying to get a good look at her, or would double back when they passed her in the corridors, staring at her like she was some freak. She had felt enough like one at the Dursleys, and she had thought it would be different here. It was so distracting when all she was trying to do was find her classes, which was a very hard task already, due to the magical structure that was Hogwarts.

There were hundreds of staircases, all different. There were the wide and sweeping ones, narrow ones, rickety ones, some with a vanishing step half way up that people had to jump over, and some that led to different places on Friday. Then there were the thousands of doors. There were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked nicely, some that you had to tickle in a certain place to open it. Then, there were the doors that really weren't doors at all, but solid wall just pretending to be a door. It was near impossible to remember everything when it was all constantly changing, and then of course, once you managed to find where you wanted to go it was the classes themselves you had to deal with. Every new thing that she learned about magic beyond just waving her wand and saying a few words was an enriching experience for Rose, and she wanted to learn all she could.

On Wednesdays they had to observe the night sky through their telescopes at midnight and learn the names of all the different stars in the sky and the movements of the planets. It was very fun, but relaxing. Then three times a week they went to the greenhouses outside to study Herbology where they were taught how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi and learned what they were used for with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, whom Rose learned was the head of Hufflepuff house.

The worst class was History of Magic. It was so boring Rose had actually fallen asleep on Draco's shoulder in class. Although, Draco hadn't seemed to mind until she started to drool on his robes. The class was taught by a ghost named Professor Binns who had been very old indeed when he had accidentally fallen asleep in the staffroom in front of the fire, and when he got up to teach his class the next morning he'd left his body behind.

Rose liked her Charms class, which was taught by a tiny little wizard who always had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. During their very first class when he was taking role call and came upon Rose's name he had given an excited squeak and had toppled out of sight behind his desk. It had been rather funny and ever since then she had taken on a fondness for her Charms Professor.

When it came to Professor McGonagall, Rose had been right to assume that she was not someone you wanted to cross. She was strict and clever and gave them all a talking to the moment they all sat down in their first class with her.

"Transfiguration is one of the most complex and dangerous forms of magic that you will learn here at Hogwarts. And anyone who messes around in my class will leave and not return again. You have all been warned," she had told them and then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. This of course impressed everyone, and they couldn't wait to get started, only to be devastated when they realized turning furniture into animals was a very long way off for all of them.

After taking some very long and very complicated notes, they were each given a match and were to start trying to turn it into a needle. Rose thought she had been close once to getting it but in the end Hermione was the only one in the entire class to be able to turn her match into a needle. Professor McGonagall then proceeded to show them how well the girl had done by holding up the needle for them to see how silver and pointed it had become, and then gave Hermione a rare smile.

It was Defense Against the Dark Arts that the first years had been really looking forward to, but Quirrell's teaching and lessons had turned out to be nothing but a joke, leaving everyone disappointed and annoyed.

"Didn't I tell you he was a joke? It's Snape who should really be teaching this class," Draco said next to her as she sat with the other Slytherins in the class with Ron, Neveah and Hermione just in front of them with the other Gryffindors. Rose scrunched up her nose. The entire room smelled like garlic, which many people had told them was to ward off a vampire that Professor Quirrell had apparently met in Romania and was now afraid it would be coming back to get him one of these days. She sighed in disappointment.

Thankfully her reading wasn't as far behind as she had thought it was, and she found that a lot of people at school had come from Muggle families as well. However, there was so much to learn that even people like Ron and Draco didn't have much of a head start.

On Friday, Rose had never been prouder of herself because it was the first time she had been able to make it to the Great Hall for breakfast alone without getting lost or asking for help. Walking to the Slytherin table, she said hi to Ron and Percy as she passed and took a seat next to Tracey Davis; one of the few girls in Slytherin who didn't treat her like an outcast or freak. Daphne Greengrass, despite being in Pansy's little gang, wasn't as bad and was mostly indifferent towards her, while Pansy was just down right nasty.

"Do you remember what we have today?" Rose asked Tracey as she reached for a piece of toast from a bowl of the stuff.

"We have double Potions this morning with the Gryffindors. Lucky for us I heard Professor Snape tends to favor his own house, but I guess we'll just have to find out when we have him," Tracey told Rose, ending it with a smirk and a tired yawn before taking a drink of her tea.

"Good morning, Rose!" the twins synced as they came around to each of her sides and gave her big wet kisses on each cheek, and she laughed as she tried to get out of the cage of arms around her. She wiped off her cheeks as the twins went jogging back off to the Gryffindor table. Tracey gave her a look, one fine eyebrow raised as she stared at her roommate. Rose just shrugged; the twins were unpredictable to her for now and she had no idea what they would do next.

Just as the twins left, the mail arrived. Rose still remembered how surprised she was the first morning when the owls came in by the hundreds, screeching loudly as they flew around the ceiling of the Great Hall, dropping letters and packages on the tables before their owners.

So far Hedwig hadn't brought her anything, but Rose had expected as much. She doubted the Dursleys would send her anything, even her aunt. Though sometimes Hedwig would fly in to nibble on Rose's ear and steal some of her toast before going back to the owlery with the others. This morning was different though, as Hedwig came fluttering down and between the marmalade and the sugar.

"Hello, girl. What's that you have?" Rose asked her companion, noticing the letter Hedwig held in her beak before she dropped it on her plate and stole a piece of her toast while she was at it.

Rose opened the letter at once and read the untidy scrawl of the words:

_Dear Rose,_

_I know you have Friday afternoons off, so I was wondering if you would like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear everything about your first week. You can send an answer back with Hedwig._

_Hagrid._

Using her quill, Rose scribbled her reply back to Hagrid with a smile on her face as she did so.

'_Of course, I would love to. I will see you later.'_

Finishing her reply on the back of the note Hagrid had sent, Rose gave it back to Hedwig, giving her a scratch beneath her beak before she flew off. Rose was looking forward to seeing Hagrid; she had so much to tell him. She was also looking forward to her Potion lessons. Along with her mother's journal and her Book of Standard Spells, she had read as much of her Potions book as possible after reading in her the journal that her mum had taken quite a shine to the subject.

Unfortunately for her, it wouldn't go as well as she had hoped. She'd had a feeling at the start-of-term banquet that Professor Snape disliked her for some reason, but now it turned out he didn't just dislike her, he _loathed _her.

Potions were down in the dungeons, and if the Slytherin dormitory wasn't down there already, Rose would have gotten a chill from how cold and creepy it was. Entering the dimly lit classroom, Rose took a seat with Tracey next to Draco, Crabbe and Goyle.

"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantation in this class," Professor Snape said, making his entrance, the heavy door of the class banging against the stone wall as he made his way to the front of the room. And like Professor Flitwick, Professor Snape also started his class by taking role call after his dramatic entrance into the room. However, he paused when he got to Rose's name.

"Ah, Rose Potter. Our new – _celebrity,_" he said softly.

Rose was upset, but she had been excited for this class and she wouldn't let his mockery get her down. She glared at Draco, Crabbe and Goyle when they snickered at her underneath their hands.

When Snape was finished he looked up at the class and Rose found his eyes just as black as Hagrid's first appeared to be, but they had no warmth like his did. They were cold and empty, and Rose wondered what had happened to make them like that. They reminded her of dark, endless tunnels.

"As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. However, for those select few who posses the predisposition-" He let his sentence hang as he turned his eyes to Draco, who looked at Rose and grinned before smiling back at the teacher, and she rolled her eyes. And Snape came around his desk, taking the front of his robes in-between his fingers and crossing his arms.

"I don't expect the rest of you to fully understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron, with its shimmering fumes and the delicate power of the liquids that creep through the human veins. I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death," he said before looking towards the Gryffindors and then at Rose, "That is, if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads that I am usually cursed to teach."

The same silence that came before followed his speech as both Rose and Hermione leaned forward in their seats, just ready to prove that they weren't dunderheads at all.

"Potter!" Rose jumped a little at the call of her name as she looked up to see Professor Snape staring her down.

"Ms. Potter. Tell me, what would I get if I added root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" he asked her and Rose beamed. She knew this answer.

"Asphodel and wormwood would make a sleeping potion so powerful that it is called the Draught of Living Death," she answered him and for a mere second he seemed surprised that she had known the answer to his question.

"Correct. And where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"

Rose's smile didn't falter. She was confident after reading so much of her Potions book.

"Well, you would have to look in the stomach of a goat to find a bezoar stone, which can save your life from most poisons," she answered, making a face at the thought of cutting open a goat's stomach. And once more, Snape was taken aback by her correct reply to his question. He clearly hadn't expected her to know any of this.

Feeling even more confident, she let her eyes roam and met Seamus's, who gave her a wink and Rose blushed as she turned back around to the front, wondering if now that she had answered two questions he would move along to someone else as he ordered them to copy down her correct answers. But he seemed set on finding something she didn't know.

"And can you tell me what is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" Rose's smile fell, she was stumped. She didn't know this one. She racked her brain for the answer but she kept drawing a blank.

"I-I'm sorry, I don't know, sir," she told him, and watched him smirk in triumph as she sank in her seat.

"Monkshood and wolfsbane are the same plant, and also goes by the name aconite," he told her, looking to his students to copy that down as well.

"Apparently you don't know everything," he whispered to her leaning forward, his hands pressed against the table in front of her before he stood up straight again.

"Five points will go to Slytherin for, Ms. Potter's correct answers," he told them as he turned, his black robes swishing behind him as Rose got a clap on the back by another Slytherin and a smile or smirk from both Tracey and Draco for earning them points. Afterward, Snape put them into pairs and had them mix a simple potion that would cure one of having boils. Rose was put with Tracey.

Snape continued to sweep around the room in his long black cloak, watching them each weigh dried nettles and crushed snake fangs. He criticized almost everyone but Draco, who he seemed to favor, as he told them all to observe the perfect way the boy stewed his horned slugs. He seemed to look over at Rose more often then others, as if just waiting for her to make a mistake he could point out to the entire class.

Rose though was doing just as well with Tracey until she spotted Neveah – who was working right beside them with Seamus – about to put the porcupine quills in before they took the cauldron off the burner.

"Neveah, don't!" she called out to the girl in warning, but it was too late and Neveah dropped the quills into the cauldron and suddenly Rose and the others were choking on clouds of acid green smoke as it filled the dungeon with a hiss.

Neveah had now melted Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob as their potion dripped from the table and seeped across the stone floor of the class, burning holes into several students' shoes. In seconds all the all of them, save for Snape were standing on their stools while poor Neveah, who had the worst luck of being drenched in the potion when the cauldron had been destroyed, was moaning in pain, collapsing as angry, nasty looking boils sprang up all over her arms and legs.

"Of, Neveah, I tried to warn you. You're not supposed to put the porcupine quills in before you take the cauldron off the burner first," she told the other girl as she continued to be covered in more hideous boils.

"Idiot girl!" Snape called, before ordering Seamus to take Neveah to the hospital wing, and Rose watched as another rather large boil sprouted on the other girls nose before she was taken away.

"You – Potter – Why didn't you warn her not to add the quills? A point from Slytherin for your lack of observation." Snape rounded on her.

"But, sir, she did warn her. It's not her fault if Longbottom didn't listen to her." Tracey came to her defense as she waved a hand in front of her in an attempt to try and clear some of the smoke from her face. Snape didn't say anything else and the point was still taken away.

"Thanks, Tracey," Rose said to the girl as they were all forced to try and clean up the mess that Neveah had made.

"Don't mention it. If there is one thing you should know about being a Slytherin, it's that we always stick together," Tracey told her with a smirk, flipping her blond hair over her shoulder as she turned back to the mess.

An hour later Rose was climbing the stairs out of the dungeons with Ron. She was grateful that they had all the same classes together. Rose groaned; she'd had points both gained and taken away in her first week already.

Ron looked at her, "Oh cheer up, at least you still made your house four points. And if it makes you feel better Snape is always taking points off Fred and George."

It didn't exactly improve her mood, seeing as how the twins were just natural and intentional troublemakers.

"Can I go with you to see Hagrid?" Ron suddenly asked, wanting to see the giant again. Rose agreed, so at a five to three they both left the castle together and made their way across the grounds.

Hagrid's home was a small stone hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. There was a crossbow and pair of galoshes outside the front door. The wind blew by and Rose pulled her standard uniform robe closed around her before taking the stone step up to the door and knocking. There was a frantic shuffling and scrabbling from inside and then several booming barks before she heard Hagrid's voice.

"_Back,_ Fang – Get _back!" _And then the door cracked open and Hagrid's big, hairy face peaked out.

"Sorry, can you just hang on for a second?" he told them before opening the door all the way and letting them in as he struggled to keep hold of the collar of an enormous black boarhound dog. Stepping closer to Hagrid, Rose leaned in front of the canine and scratched behind his ears hoping to calm him down. Fang sniffed her face and then gave it a big lick over half of it. Rose made a sound between a giggle and a noise of disgust as she wiped her cheek dry of drool with the sleeve of her robe.

Standing back up, Rose looked around Hagrid's humble abode. The house was only one room and hams and pheasants hung from the ceiling; there was a copper kettle just starting to whistle on an open fire. In the corner was a massive bed with a patchwork quilt made over it. It was all very cozy despite the meat hanging from the ceiling.

"Please, make yourselves at home," Hagrid told them, letting go of Fang. And since the dog had already met and welcomed Rose he went straight for Ron, knocking him to the floor as he jumped on his chest and started licking his ears. Rose laughed as she watched Ron struggle to get out from under the massive and overly affectionate dog. Just like Hagrid, Fang obviously wasn't as fierce as he first appeared to be.

"This is Ron, Hagrid, my friend." She introduced the other boy as Hagrid poured the boiling water into a large teapot and put some rock cakes onto a plate. The rock cakes were shapeless lumps and had raisins in them as hard as rock, but Rose and Ron pretended that they were enjoying them.

"Another Weasley, huh?" Hagrid asked looking at Ron's red hair and freckles.

"I've spent half of me life chasin' those twins brothers of yers away from the forest," he told the boy with a shake of his head.

"So how are yeh doin' in Slytherin so far, Rose?" He finally asked her the question that he had called her out to answer for him and talk about. He had been so worried for her all week.

"It's ok, I guess. I don't really fit in with anyone in Slytherin and I'm almost as much of an outcast as I was at the Dursleys. But they're not all bad. At least I have Tracey," she told him, straining to give him a smile. "Who's Tracey?" Hagrid asked, wanting to hear every detail, every trouble that she was having.

"Tracey Davis. She's one of my roommates in the Slytherin Girl's dormitory. She's nice to me and is always defending me when the other Slytherins are being unkind. She can act cold sometimes but she's a really good person on the inside." She realized that besides Ron and the twins, Tracey was probably her only friend at Hogwarts so far. Draco didn't really count because he was still rude to her and picked on her at times despite offering his friendship to her.

All Hagrid knew was that this Tracey girl was kind to Rose and that's what he needed to know, that Rose had someone among all those stinking Slytherins that was her friend.

"I was so surprised when I heard the hat put you in Slytherin, I was worried for yeh that you wouldn't be able to adjust – you just didn't seem like yeh would fit in. You don't exactly have the personality of the typical Slytherin. Though I wish yeh had been put in Gryffindor I am happy that you have a friend in Slytherin to get you by. Now what about your lessons?" he told her, before ending it was another question and a smile as Hagrid tried to lighten the atmosphere.

So she and Ron told him about their lessons, and about the caretaker Mr. Filch when they had tried to get through a door that just so happened to be the entrance to the out of bounds area they had been warned about and got caught by Filch, who had believed they were trying to break in on purpose instead of actually being lost like they had been. Filch was probably the only person besides the Weasley twins to know the secret passages of the school like the back of his hand. The man could pop up at any moment just as suddenly as the ghosts of the school and Ron grinned when Hagrid called Filch, "That old git" and Rose laughed before he started telling them stories about his own experiences with the man.

"An' as fer that cat of his, Mrs. Norris, I'd love to introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know that dang cat, Mrs. Norris, would follow me everywhere every time I went up ter the school? I couldn't get rid of her even if I kicked her halfway across Scotland – I swear Filch puts her up to it."

Rose laughed with Ron imagining that Hagrid very well could kick Mrs. Norris across the country if he so wanted to; he certainly had the strength to do so.

Rose then told Hagrid about Snape's lesson and how she had both earned points and lost them for her house. She also mentioned how Snape just seemed to hate her for no good reason. But just like Ron, Hagrid told her not to worry about it so much and that Snape liked almost none of his students.

"But he seemed to really _hate _me, Hagrid, even when I was answering questions correctly and doing everything right," she told him. She was still trying to figure why it was that Professor Snape seemed so familiar, even his name.

"Now that's just rubbish. Why would he hate you?"

Rose didn't know the answer so she shrugged and tried not to break any of her teeth of the rock cake Hagrid offered her.

"How's yer brother Charlie, Ron? I liked him a lot when he was at Hogwarts – great with animals, he was."

Rose wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose, while Ron went on to discussing his older brother's work with dragons.

That night after dinner, they had all gone back to their houses, and Rose sat in the Slytherin common room going through her mum's journal.

_Dear Journal_

_Today on my very first train ride to Hogwarts I met the most arrogant boy. Called himself James Potter. Just from our first meeting I know I want nothing to do with him in the future, and the way he talked of Severus right in front of him was just rude and mean._

_Severus already told me all about the houses at Hogwarts and all I can think is that I really hope I am not in the same house as Potter, I don't think I would be able to stand having the same classes with him every day of the school year._

_All I needed was Severus to get me by._

Rose yawned. Her mother's beginning relationship with her father sounded so familiar to her, but Rose was unsure of why. She continued to read until someone took a seat beside her, their arms slung over the back of the green leather couch with their feet were propped up as they sat basking in front of the fire. Rose didn't need to look up to know who it was.

"Evening, Draco," she said as she flipped a page of her mother's journal, reading Lily's continued complaints about James Potter.

"Why do you call me that?" he suddenly asked her, and this time Rose did look up.

An eyebrow, the same dark red of her hair, arched up, "Because it's your name," she answered, as if his question was the strangest one she had ever heard.

"Only my parents ever call me by my name. And I call you Potter, and everyone calls me Malfoy," he told her, and Rose still did not understand at all what he was trying to get at.

"That's strange though – Ron and the twins call me by my name. It's Rose if you already forgotten," she told him with a bit of humor at the end.

"Those goof Weasleys don't count," he said to her, getting Rose to finally close her mother's journal, saving her place with one of her mum's press-flower bookmarks that she had in her box, as she leaned back on the couch to look at him. She wouldn't bother arguing with him about the Weasleys since she knew his opinion of them would never change after their series of fights over them already.

"Well, Tracey calls me by my name," she said, pointedly. It was nice, being called by her first name – not 'Potter', not '_her_', but just 'Rose'.

"Have you ever thought that calling a person by their first name is a sentiment of friendship?" she said to him, watching as Draco smirked at her words, as if he had won something in some way

"Don't look so smug. That doesn't mean we're friends, it just means I don't especially hate you. So far, at least." Saying that she stood from the couch, her mum's journal in hand before bidding Draco a good night and going down to bed.

**TBC**


	17. Chapter 17

Flying For the First Time

Waking up, Rose washed her face and changed into her school robes with the others. When she entered the common room she found some of the other Slytherin first years standing in front of a bulletin groaning and complaining about something. Getting closer, Rose saw that it was a bulletin announcing that first years would be taking flying lessons with the Gryffindors, starting this Thursday. But unlike the others, Rose didn't mind at all because it meant more time to spend with Ron, and she had just started to make friends with Hermione.

"Great, another lesson with the Gryffindorks," someone mumbled and when Rose looked to find Draco the boy had the biggest smirk she had seen on him yet. He was always going on about how great he was at Quidditch and Rose supposed he was so happy because now this meant he was going to be able to prove to everyone what a great flyer he already was.

All Draco seemed to do was talk about flying and himself. He would complain how the first years never got to play on the house Quidditch teams and then continued telling everyone long and boastful stories that seemed to always end up with him somehow escaping Muggles in helicopters. Rose was pretty confident he was exaggerating as much as he was full of it. But she supposed she would just have to see for herself when they had their lessons on Thursday. According to Ron, Seamus wasn't much different, as he'd been telling everyone how he had spent most of his childhood flying on a broom, and even Ron himself would tell of how he'd almost been hit by a hang glider when he flew on his older brother Charlie's broom. And then there was Neveah, who had never been on a broom in her life, just like Rose and Hermione; the latter being nearly as nervous as the other two girls about flying since no one could learn how to fly from a book.

Out of every single thing she would learn at Hogwarts, it was learning to fly a broomstick that Rose had been dreaming about more than anything else. Now she just had to worry about making a fool out of herself in front of everyone, as if her own house didn't make fun of her enough as it was. If she fell off her broomstick, she would be a laughing stock.

When Thursday finally arrived, Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table boring everyone with the flying tips she had found in a book called _Quidditch Through the Ages_that she had gotten out of the school's library. Rose really wanted to tell her that she doubted studying any book could really prepare them for their lessons, but she let the girl go on while she herself sat with Tracey while Draco sat across from them at the Slytherin table with the others of their house. Behind her, Hermione halted her lecture as the mail arrived.

Rose had yet to receive a single letter again since Hagrid's note, something that Draco had been quick to notice. Draco's own eagle owl was always delivering him packages of sweets from home, which he made a point in gloating about and showing off to the other Slytherins at the table. But every time he received something he would always share with Rose, and only Rose.

At first Rose had declined each time he offered, thinking that he was trying to buy her friendship with expensive treats. But finally, she gave in after the fifth time he tried to force the candy on her, and now took the sweets from him every time. Today was no different as he handed her a truffle from a package of them his mother had sent.

"Zabini, could you pass up the paper when you're done?" Rose called to the black boy down the table who gave her a mere glance before turning back to read the paper in his hands, giving no reply as if he hadn't heard, yet a few minutes later the paper was passed to her.

Turning the pages of the _Daily Prophet_,Rose came upon something that struck her.

_GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST_

_Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown._

_Gringotts' goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day._

_"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon._

Rose stifled a gasp as she dropped the paper down onto the table. She had heard rumors that Gringotts had been broken into, but no one had ever mentioned a date. She was startled to learn that it had happened on her birthday. She and Hagrid could have very well been inside the bank when the break-in had taken place.

When Rose and Tracey got up to leave so did Draco, intent on spending as much time with Rose as possible. Crabbe and Goyle followed like the good lackeys they were.

As she walked with Tracey past the Gryffindor table Rose stopped to say greet everyone who didn't think he was some sort of traitor for being in Slytherin, those who didn't including the Weasleys, Neveah and Hermione. She said hello to the twins and they both leaned back to give her their usual sloppy kisses on both cheeks, and she laughed, pushing them away and Draco glared as he tried to catch up with them at the table. Saying hello to Hermione, Rose noticed Neveah opening a package from her grandmother.

"It's a Remembrall!" Neveah explained as she held a small glass ball filled with white smoke up for everyone to see with a smile on her face. When she saw how confused Rose looked over her shoulder, she explained what the ball was.

"My Gran knows I always forget things and this will tell me if I've forgotten something when I hold it; the smoke inside turns red."

"It looks like you've forgotten something already," Tracey sneered, pointing to the now scarlet smoke within the Remembrall and Neveah's smile fell.

While the girl tried to remember what it was she had forgotten, Rose was talking with Ron so she didn't notice Draco until he snatched Neveah's Remembrall from her hand.

"Malfoy, don't be an idiot and give it back," Rose told him as Ron stood up.

Rose knew the other redhead was just ready for a good enough reason to fight with Draco. Then she noticed Professor McGonagall – who could spot trouble a mile away – making her way over to them.

"And what exactly is going on here?" she asked them all as she appeared at their table. But before Neveah could complain to the teacher Rose was there with a smile.

"Nothing, Professor McGonagall, Neveah was just showing us the Remembrall that her grandmother sent her is all. Draco was just giving it back to her," she lied, her smile not faltering as Professor McGonagall gave her a doubting look.

"Isn't that right, Draco?" Rose asked, her teeth clenched and her lips pulled in a tight and fake smile as she tried to save them all from getting into trouble. But from the look McGonagall was giving her it was obvious she saw right through her, but let her go on to see if she could set the peace for now.

"Of course," Draco smiled at McGonagall, only scowling as he turned his face away and made it a point to hand Neveah back her Remembrall – into her hands for show instead of just dropping it on the Gryffindor table – before starting to walk away with Crabbe and Goyle.

Rose mouthed an apology to Neveah before running after them with all the intent to give Draco a scolding.

"Did you really have to just take her Remembrall like that?" she asked him, finally catching up.

"I was just looking," he told her as they kept walking, not even stopping to look at her.

"Then did it ever occur to you to ask her?"

He didn't answer her.

"Just drop it, Rose, it's not like most Slytherins aren't the exact same way and you can't exactly scold all of us," Tracey said to her, her voice reasonable and bored as she caught up with them too, flipping her sleek hair over her shoulder with disinterest as she pulled Rose back to her. With one more look towards a retreating Draco, Rose turned and stopped.

At half past three Rose was with the rest of the Slytherins outside, with twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground beside them as they waited for the Gryffindors to get there. Tilting her head back, Rose admired the clear, breezy day as the grass rippled beneath their feet and she took a deep breath of fresh air.

Finally Madam Hooch arrived, just shortly after the Gryffindors did. She had short, gray-silver hair and yellow eyes that reminded Rose of a hawk.

"Good afternoon, class," Madam Hooch greeted, walking between them to the front, adjusting her gloves as they returned her 'good afternoon'.

"Welcome to your first flying lesson. Well, what are you all waiting for? Step up to your broomstick! Come on now, hurry up."

The Slytherins had already gotten to their brooms and stood opposite across from the Gryffindors, and since they had gotten there first, they also had the better brooms.

"Now, stick your right hand over your broom and say, 'Up!'" Madam Hooch ordered them, out at the front.

"UP!" everyone shouted, and Rose's broom flew up into her hand on the first try, as did Draco's. However, when Madam Hooch came around to check their grips, Rose stifled her laughter when the woman told Draco he had been doing it wrong for years. She also laughed when Ron called his broom and it jumped up and hit him right in the face.

"Shut up, Rose!" he told her as he stepped back up to his broom, Rose still giggling.

"Now once you've got a hold of your broom, I want you to mount it."

Stepping over their broomsticks, they waited as Madam Hooch went down the line of students one more time checking their grips so that none of them fell off the end.

"When I blow my whistle, I want each of you to kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your broom steady, hover for a moment then lean forward slightly and touch back down. On my whistle, three, two-"

The whistle was blown and Neveah, as nervous and jumpy as she was, pushed off the ground hard, afraid to be left alone.

"Ms. Longbottom!" Madam Hooch said, watching as Neveah rose foot after foot into the air. She stopped and just stared for a moment before Neveah began to rise too high, and she repeated the girl's name again.

"Down, Down!" Neveah tried to tell her broom, and all the Gryffindors were calling her name before the girl's broom took off with her on it, her face white and scared as she looked down at the ground as she zoomed by.

"Come back down this instant!" Madam Hooch shouted, but Neveah didn't seem to have any control at all. The broom seemed to be trying to shake her off as it moved rapidly from side to side, but Neveah's grip was tight around it from fear as it spun her around before going straight for the stone wall of the castle. The front of her broom clunked against the wall and then turned and hit it with the bristle of the broom repeating this until it ran out of wall to hit and flew her around, making a dive towards the ground before turning up and going straight for the rest of the students.

Madam Hooch tried to pull out her wand to stop her but Neveah was going too fast and had to duck and jump out of the way like the rest of them. Neveah flew through one of the bridged tunnels of the castle that came into a small courtyard, and turned up as she came out of it, then flew back around over it and towards a statue, which her robe caught on and pulled her off the broom as it went soaring past, leaving her hanging.

She hung for a second before the spear of the statue she had been caught on began to tear through the fabric of her robes and she was dropping again, getting stuck on a torch on the way down before her arms slipped out of the sleeves and she fell to the ground with a thud and Rose swore that she heard a rather nasty cracking sound as everyone came to surround her.

"Everyone out of the way!" Madam Hooch ordered as they all parted, for her to run to Neveah. Bending at the girls side, her face as white as the others, she tried to ease the girl up off the ground. Her arm cradling Neveah's, Madame Hooch held it too high and Neveah groaned in pain.

Too worried about the other girl, Rose didn't notice Draco pick up Neveah's Remembrall that had fallen out of her pocket when she fell.

"Oh, dear, it's a broken wrist. Poor girl, come on now, up you get," Rose heard Madam Hooch mutter to Neveah, and as they got to their feet, Madam Hooch turned to the rest of the class, "All of you are to keep your feet firmly on the ground while I take Ms. Longbottom to the hospital wing. Understand? If I see a single broom in the air, the one riding it will be out of Hogwarts before they can say Quidditch."

And no sooner were they out of earshot, the Slytherins, with the exception of Rose, broke out into laughter.

Rose's neck nearly snapped at the speed in which she turned her head to glare heatedly at Draco and the others for their malicious humor.

'_How could the Sorting Hat put me with these bullies? I know they aren't all bad, but still they're so cruel,'_ Rose thought with near disgust as she watched them all laugh.

"Did you see her face, the great lump?" Draco mocked as he clutched at his sides from laughing so hard.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom, are we?" sneered Pansy Parkinson. She was a sharp-faced girl with dark hair cut short in a bob at her chin, "Never thought you would make friends with a _fat _girl, Pavarti!"

"Don't call her that, Parkinson!" Rose growled, having enough and stepping up to her fellow Slytherin, as they faced each other in a glaring contest.

"I don't know why you're even in Slytherin, Potter. It's obvious you don't belong with us if you're sticking up for the Gryffindorks," Pansy hissed in her face like the snake she was.

"Trust me, Parkinson, I don't know why either," Rose said in her face, standing off with the other. She hated Pansy, she reminded her of Dudley but even more so than Draco, in the way she could so cruelly bully someone and tear them apart with no remorse or sympathy, as if the next morning she could also quite happily eat their hearts for breakfast.

"Maybe if she had given this a squeeze, she would have remembered to fall on her fat arse!" Draco said to someone.

Turning away from Pansy, Rose found the boy holding the Remembrall. Eyes widening and narrowing again, Rose marched up to Draco.

"Give it back, Draco," she told him slowly and quietly, her voice filled with warning as she held out her hand, intending to pass it on to Hermione who she trusted to get it back to Neveah.

And as everyone stopped talking and came around to watch them as they had when she was facing Pansy, Draco gave her a nasty smile.

"No. I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find," he told her, stepping onto his broom as it moved him away, before he turned to straddle it and came around to cut through the crowd as he flew up in to the air.

"How about on the roof?" he asked as he flew higher, until he was far above them.

"What's the matter, Potter? Bit beyond your reach?" he asked, and Rose grabbed her broom and mounted it.

"Rose, no way! You heard what Madam Hooch said. And besides, you don't even know how to fly yet!" Hermione shouted at her, but Rose ignored her as she leaned forward on her broom and kicked off hard as it took her up. And she soared; wind rushing through her hair to pull it free from the ribbons that she had tied over her plaits weakly, while her robes whipped behind her, Rose found something no one and no book could teach her that, she was just a natural at. This was _easy,_ this was _wonderful_ for her, and there was nothing else like it.

She pulled her broomstick up a little and it took her even higher towards Draco, and behind her she could hear gasps from the other girls as some of the boys whistled and Ron gave a whoop of admiration. When she got close enough to Draco she turned her broomstick sharply as to not fly into him, facing him in midair now. Draco looked stunned and it was Rose's turn to smirk.

"Give it here, Draco, or I'll knock you off your broom!" she threatened, completely serious.

"Is that so?" he asked her, tossing the Remembrall up and down, catching it each time in his hand. But despite how confident he seemed there for also a look of worry in his eyes. He knew she wasn't kidding.

It was as if by second nature that Rose seemed to know exactly what to do as she leaned forward, her broomstick grasped tightly in her hands, and she shot toward Draco like a javelin. But she missed just barely as Malfoy flipped around completely on his broom and regained his balance just as quick.

"I don't get it, Draco. Sometimes you act like you actually want to be my friend, and all the other times you make it really hard for me not to hate you!" she told him with disappointment as she spoke low enough that no one on the ground would hear her.

"Plus, there's no Crabbe or Goyle up here to save you," she smirked again, just ready to try and knock him again. And as she hovered in the air Rose felt as if nothing in the world could touch her, and that she was somehow on equal ground with the world.

"Have it your way, then!" And he threw the glass ball high into the air, towards the castle and shortly after, Rose zoomed past him.

As she flew through the air to catch the Remembrall it was like the world was moving in slow motion as the ball made its way towards the ground, and she leaned forward going even faster. She was gathering speed in her steep dive, racing for the glass ball.

The wind whistling in her ears deafened her to the screams of those who were watching. She stretched out her hand, and just as she came within a foot of the ground her fingers clasped around the Remembrall just in time to pull her broom up straight before it could topple to the grass. Tracey ran to her along with Hermione and Ron, and surprisingly so did Draco who tried to hide his concern by pulling himself back and snickering. But it was all in his eyes what he was really feeling.

Rose held up the Remembrall and listened to everyone clap and applaud, even a few of the Slytherins. She was on her feet in no time, running and meeting the rest of first years waiting for her with clapping hands and cheers, but the moment she stumbled off her broom she heard her name called.

"ROSE POTTER!"

Rose swallowed at the sound of Professor McGonagall's angry shout as the woman marched her way out of the castle and towards them. The others tried to defend her, both Gryffindor and Slytherin, though she expected the latter only did it so they wouldn't get points off. But McGonagall quieted them all.

"Follow me, Ms. Potter," she told her sternly, and Rose handed Hermione the Remembrall to give to Neveah before she did as she was told and followed Professor McGonagall back inside of the castle.

While Rose thought of ways she could stay at Hogwarts, even being Hagrid's assistant if she got expelled, McGonagall had led her back down into the dungeons, until finally they were going through a door and down a spiral staircase to another door, already opened. And as Rose stepped in after McGonagall; she realized they must be in Professor Snape's office if the man sitting at the desk in the center was any indication.

Snape looked up from his papers and raised an eyebrow to their presence, waiting for an explanation as to their visit.

"I would like you to place Ms. Potter on the Slytherin Quidditch team," McGonagall told him, plain and simple, and Snape continued to keep his brow raised as he sat back in his chair and put away his quill and paper.

"Oh, and why should I do that?" he asked her.

Rose watched as he threaded his fingers together atop his desk and leaned forward slightly. This was not what she had expected – she had expected Professor McGonagall to report her and either have all of their house points taken or have her expelled like Madam Hooch told them they would be if they were caught flying. Now Rose wasn't even sure what was happening.

"She is a natural. I have never seen anything like it. She caught a Remembrall in a fifty-foot dive and didn't even scratch herself. Not even Charlie Weasley was capable of such a thing when he was on the Gryffindor Quidditch team."

Professor Snape did not look impressed.

"She would make an amazing Seeker," McGonagall tried.

"We already have a seeker," Snape argued, and Rose sensed that Professor McGonagall was becoming increasingly annoyed.

"You don't have to make her the Seeker then, though it would be a shame for her not to be. Just allow her on the team so she can put her talent to use, or it would just be a petty waste for the entire school," she told him, stubborn with her efforts.

Snape seemed to think for minutes before he said anything, "I'll take her to Flint and see if we can make an arrangement. As captain, it is only right that he has a say in the matter."

Pleased for now, McGonagall agreed and left Rose to the mercy of Professor Snape. Rose tried to leave with McGonagall but she told the girl to stay with him, and suddenly she was more terrified of being in the same room alone with Snape than the chances of being expelled.

He seemed to stare at her long and hard for what felt like an eternity. He just stared into her eyes, and it made her shiver, for it was so intense it was as if he was looking for someone inside them who was lost at the very bottom.

"Come with me." And he broke away, standing in his chair before roughly tugging on her robes as he pulled her back up the stairs and down corridors and upstairs again until he finally stopped in front of a classroom. It was the Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

"I need to borrow Flint, Quirrell." It wasn't a question, but a statement as Professor Quirrell gave a shaky nod before going back to his lecture.

Marcus Flint turned out to be a tall and relatively muscular fifth-year Slytherin, with large teeth, shifty gray eyes and short, course black hair.

"Apparently, Ms. Potter here is quite the flyer. Put her on the team, do anything with her. McGonagall wants her to be a Seeker but I imagine that as long as she gets to see the girl play she won't complain much. Besides, I'm tired of McGonagall gloating every time Gryffindor wins a match. She is all yours."

And then he left, just like that without giving Flint much of a choice to reject or accept as he walked away leaving the two of them alone.

"Ever even seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?"

Rose shook her head as she looked up at the intimidating young man, watching him frown at her answer.

"Well you do have the build for a seeker, and our current one is lacking the skill we need to win," he said, walking around her, looking her up and down.

"Light, speedy. But you're gonna have to earn your place on my team, Potter. And don't expect me to go easy on your training just because you're a girl. And since you've never played Quidditch before I'm going have to train you extra hard, night and day so you can catch up with the others. Next week we'll start your training so you'd better be ready." Flint gave her an unpleasant grin that just spoke volumes of harsh work for her to come, before going back into his class.

Not knowing what do now, Rose started walking back down the corridor, only to be later stopped by Professor McGonagall.

"It's regretful that the hat did not sort you into my house, but I suppose it had its reasons. But just because you're not a Gryffindor like your parents were, it does not mean I don't want to hear about you training hard," the woman told her, before a far away look suddenly came over her eyes before focusing again on her.

"Your father would have been proud. He was an exceptional Quidditch player himself," she told her, but instead of making Rose feel better it made her feel even more guilty for not being in Gryffindor.

When Tracey found Rose she was sitting alone in the Slytherin girls dormitory on her bed, just before dinnertime. Rose's legs were pulled up to her chest and she could see the wetness of tears on the girl's arms as she hid her face in them, making sniffling sounds. Tracey sighed to herself, not knowing how exactly to approach her friend.

Letting out another sigh, one that was more sympathetic, Tracey finally made her way further into the room and crawled onto Rose's bed to sit opposite of her.

It wasn't until the bed dipped with the extra weight that Rose looked up. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were blotchy from crying as well.

"Don't tell me McGonagall is really going to expel you, is she? I told her myself that Malfoy started it, I'll even drag those Gryffindor friends of yours along with me as witnesses," she said, her voice angry and Rose shook her head.

"No. It's ok. Actually, McGonagall took me to Professor Snape to ask him to put me on the Slytherin Quidditch team. They might want me to be Seeker, even," Rose told her.

"That's amazing! So, what's the problem?" Tracey asked, concern lacking in her voice but clear in her eyes.

"It's just something Professor McGonagall said about my parents, and I can't help feeling that some how I'm letting them down by having been sorted into Slytherin," the other girl admitted, not looking Tracey in the eyes as she wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees.

Tracey didn't know what to say to her.

"I don't fit in at all here. Besides you, all my friends are in Gryffindor and when I'm with them everything just feels more natural. Pansy was right, I don't belong in Slytherin, Tracey," she told her, her shoulders slumping as she looked ready to cry again.

"Maybe it's not obvious now why the Sorting Hat put you in Slytherin, but one day it will be. And soon enough you're going to find your place here, even if it means making your own." And for once Tracey gave a real and genuine smile.

"What would I do without you, Tracey?" Rose asked her.

"Probably go crying to the Headmaster and have the Sorting Hat put you in Gryffindor instead. Thank Merlin I'm here. I mean, could you imagine _you _as a Gryffindor?" Tracey smirked, and both girls broke out laughing.

"Now go wash your face of those tears and snot and we'll go up for dinner. You look a mess."

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

Midnight Duel

When Rose and Tracey arrived at the Great Hall for dinner, they weren't surprised to see Ron and Draco having some kind of argument, just subtle and quiet enough not to gain any attention from the teachers at the High Table.

"You couldn't beat me even if you had two wands, Weasley. Tonight though; if you really want. Wizard's duel. Meet you in the trophy room at midnight, seeing as it's always unlocked." they heard Draco say to Ron before he walked away with Crabbe and Goyle back to the Slytherin table.

"Ron, what exactly did you just agree to do with Malfoy tonight?" Rose asked warily as the boy turned around with a sheepish look, his eyes downcast as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Well, Draco was saying all this stuff, and I guess I just snapped. And, well, I kind of agreed to a wizard's duel with him tonight and told him you would be my second?" he told her, looking back up with guilty blue eyes.

"I don't even know what a wizard's duel or a second is, and you just agreed to one with me against Draco without even asking! Are you insane?" she asked him, her face turning red with how mad she was with him. This was not what she wanted to deal with right now.

"Well, you see, a second's there to take over if you die," Ron said as casually as possible as they walked down towards their places at their separate tables while Rose's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"But of course people only die in proper duels, you know, the ones between real wizards and witches. The most me and Malfoy'll be able to do is shoot sparks at each other or send one of us flying," he shrugged, stopping as he came to his spot at the Gryffindor table, Rose's and Tracey's just across from him.

"And what happens if you wave your wand and nothing happens?" she asked him, worrying whether Ron might embarrass himself, knowing it would only make everything worse for him with Draco.

"Then I would throw it away and punch him in the nose," Ron said as he sat and took a slice of pie from the center and dropped it on his plate.

Rose rolled her eyes and groaned. He was just such a _boy_.

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were discussing-" Hermione said, across from Ron.

"I bet you could," Ron muttered and Rose smacked him for being mean, he winced and rubbed his now sore arm.

"-And you just _mustn't _go wandering around the castle at night, or you'll lose points for both of our houses if you're caught, and I know you're just bound to be," the girl told them and Ron rolled his eyes and glared at her.

"That's only if someone snitches on us first."

Unable to listen anymore to any of this, Rose sat down at her own table and tried to distract herself with the delicious food. She could already picture herself having to bring Ron and Draco to the hospital wing when things went wrong and they all had points taken away. She really didn't want to think about it and took another bite of her food.

It was not at all the perfect ending to her day; in fact it was pretty ruddy awful, as Rose snuck from her bed at half past eleven, being quiet as she came into the common room where Draco, Goyle and Crabbe were laughing softly to themselves on the couch before the fire.

"That gullible fool actually thinks we're going. They'll be expelled for sure when they get caught out of bed!" They laughed even harder.

"You're standing him up so he'll get caught waiting for you to show up?" she asked as she made her way around the couch and in front of the boy, the glow of the fire behind her setting her in a raging glow that matched the one in her eyes.

"You're horrible, we're going right now to stop them!" Rose said grabbing Draco by the collar of his shirt and pulling him after her, not caring that he struggled as they made their way through the secret passage out of the Slytherin common rooms and into the rest of the dungeons.

"Let me go, let me go, we're going to get caught!" Draco said as he struggled to get free, but unless he was planning to take his shirt off then Rose's grip was not relenting.

"You're the one who challenged Ron to a wizard's duel in the first place, so you could at least have some honor and show up. I won't have my friend get in trouble be cause you want to be a git!" she told him as she dragged him up stairs, down halls and around corridors until finally they were within feet of the unlocked door of the trophy room.

"They're late, maybe he's chickened out," they heard Ron whisper, just as they entered the room and he and two others jumped at the sound of their entrance.

"What are they doing here?" Rose asked, pointing towards Neveah and Hermione.

Ron explained that Hermione had intercepted him whilst he was leaving Gryffindor tower, attempting to stop him from getting caught and losing their house points, while Neveah had forgotten their password after coming back from the hospital wing and had fallen asleep on the floor outside. Just as Ron finished explaining, Rose push Draco forward so they could start this little duel before they all heard a noise in the next room that made them all jump.

"Sniff around, my darling, they might be lurking in the corners."

They recognized the voice in a split second as Mr. Filch, speaking to his cat Mrs. Norris and their blood ran cold.

Waving to the other four to follow her, Rose moved, and they scurried after her as quickly and silently as possible.

"You knew this was going to happen, didn't you? I bet you even tipped Filch off that we would be here!" Ron said in a harsh whisper, poking an accusing finger into Draco's chest as if ready to get in a fight then and there.

"Knock it off you two," she told them as she led them around the corner, just in time as Filch entered the trophy room.

"They're in here somewhere. Probably hiding," Filch muttered, and Rose held her breath as her heart hammered in her chest.

"This way," Rose mouthed to the others as they began to creep down a long gallery filled with suits of armor. They could hear Filch getting closer. They should have seen it coming when Neveah gave a frightened squeak and tried to break into a run but tripped, grabbing Ron around the waist in front of her as she went down and toppled into one of the suits of armor.

The noise that it made was enough to wake the entire castle and for the first time ever, Rose wanted to kill Neveah.

"RUN!" Rose shouted, and run they did as the five of them sprinted down the gallery, not daring to look behind them to see whether Filch was following or not. They swung around the doorpost and galloped down corridor after corridor, Rose in the lead holding Draco's hand as she pulled him after her. For a moment she thought about pushing him back and using him as a diversion while they made their escape, seeing as he got them into this mess in the first place.

They had no idea where they were going until they ripped through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, hurtled through it and came out near the Charms classroom, miles away from the trophy room.

"I think we lost him," Rose panted, wiping her forehead and letting go of Draco's hand as she slid down the wall to sit and take a breath.

"I – _told _– you," Hermione gasped out at Ron as she clutched at the stitch in her side. Neveah was bent over wheezing next to her, looking ready to pass out.

"This is all your fault, you set us up!"

And then Ron was on Draco. They wrestled on the ground, throwing fists and kicking feet everywhere.

While Neveah and Hermione held back Ron, Rose had to hold Draco back all by herself as the two were pulled from each other.

"Will you two stop fighting it out already? We have to get back our houses!" Rose practically yelled at them as she moved in-between her best friend and Draco.

"This is all his fault, we should just leave him here, you can cast that spell on him that you had before on the train, and leave him here for someone to find and then he'll be the one in trouble," Ron suggested and Rose groaned as she watched him go for his wand but Hermione grabbed his elbow to stop him.

"Maybe another time, but for now you have to get back to Gryffindor Tower and we have to get back to the Slytherin dungeons," she reasoned with him as Draco had the nerve to hide behind her for protection, and she wanted to smack him right then and there but settled with glaring at him over her shoulder.

"Alright, let's go," she told them, and grudgingly Ron settled for trying to hex Draco another time.

All they had to do was get to the intersection that led to the towers and the entrance to the dungeons, but it wasn't going to be easy. They had barely made it fifteen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of the classroom and in front of them. It was Peeves.

Rose cursed their luck to be caught by the most annoying, troublemaking poltergeist in the world. The twins' jokes and pranks were funny, but Peeves was out to actually hurt people with his. The moment Peeves noticed them he gave a squeal of delight.

"Be quiet, Peeves, or you're going to get us thrown out!" Ron spoke desperately and Peeves cackled at him.

"Ickle firsties, wandering around at midnight? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty you'll get caughty," he told them, waving a transparent finger in front of them and shaking his head as if he were scolding them.

"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please," Rose tried, her voice just as desperate as Ron's.

"I really should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves, trying to sound saintly before a wicked glint caught in his eyes as he looked at them with a slowly spreading grin.

"It really is for your own good, you know," he told them, and the prospect that he might really tell made Ron snap, and he took a swing at the poltergeist, which ended up, of course, with Ron losing his balance and face planting into the stone floor. The swing was a mistake.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED! STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!" Peeves bellowed, and after picking up Ron, they ducked under the poltergeist and ran for their lives.

"Nice going, Weaselbee!" Draco yelled at Ron, knocking him into a wall as the two ran side by side, each hoping to trip the other up and leave them behind as a decoy while they made their escape.

"DON'T THINK I WON'T TELL THE BLOODY BARON YOU SNITCHED ON US, PEEVES!" Rose threatened him in a fit of rage, but all she could hear was his irritating cackling. Rose smirked, thinking how he wouldn't be cackling very much when she told the Bloody Baron he had told on Slytherins.

They ran all the way to the end of the corridor, only to slam into a locked door. They pushed and pulled, but it wouldn't open.

"This is it, we're done for!" Ron moaned, looking almost ready to cry as he continued to push helplessly at the door.

"Maybe for you it is, but my father has connections and there is no way he would allow me to get expelled for something as trivial as being caught out of bed past hours!" Draco told them, looking smug despite their situation as the boys looked ready to fight it out.

"Oh, move over!" Hermione snarled, cutting between them as they listened to fast approaching footsteps as Filch came running towards Peeves's shouts. She pulled out her wand from her robes and tapped the lock and whispered, "_Alohomora._"

The lock clicked and the door swung open for them, before they all piled through it and shut it just as quickly behind them, holding their breaths and pressing their ears to the door to listen and pray that this time Peeves wouldn't give them away.

"Which way did they go, Peeves? Quick, tell me!" Filch asked, sounding out of breath from his own run.

"You have to say 'please'," Peeves drawled, cheekily.

"Don't you mess with me, Peeves, now tell me _which way they went_," Filch growled.

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please first," Peeves said in an annoying singsong voice.

"All right, fine – _Please_." The word was grounded out; sounding almost like it was bringing physical pain to Filch to say.

"NOTHING! Ha ha! Didn't I tell you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please? Ah ha haaaaa! You fell for it!"

And then they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away as Filch cursed in rage at the trickster.

"He thinks the door is locked so I don't think he'll look in here. We should be – _what _Neveah?" Rose snapped, the other girl having been tugging relentlessly on her robe for the last minute, as she turned and saw exactly, and very clearly, what. For a moment Rose was sure she had stepped into a scene from a nightmare. They weren't in a room as she had first assumed. It was the forbidden corridor on the third floor, and now they knew why it was forbidden.

All four of them stood petrified as they stared into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the entire space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction, three drooling mouths with saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.

The dog was standing quite still in front of them, all six of its eyes staring at them, and Rose knew that the only reason they weren't puppy chow yet was because their sudden appearance had take it by surprise, but it looked to be quickly getting over that by the thunderous growls it was making.

And all at once they all screamed, and Rose groped for the doorknob, picking Filch over death by dog, and turned it before they all fell backwards out of the room, and she kicked the door shut before the five of them split into two groups. Hermione, Ron, and Neveah ran up the stairs to the Gryffindor tower and Rose and Draco ran down them to the dungeons, not stopping for anything until they were safely back in their common rooms.

"What are they thinking keeping an animal like that inside a school?" she asked, as they collapsed to the floor of the common room, sweaty, dirty and out of breath.

"You were too busy screaming like the girl you are to even notice what it was standing on – a trapdoor. It was guarding something."

She turned her head and glared at him.

"Oh and you weren't screaming? Because I'm pretty sure we all were. But, no, I didn't notice what it was standing on because I was a bit preoccupied with its heads. There were _three _of them!" she told him, getting herself back up from the floor. She would have to bathe first thing when she woke up, or people would ask questions when they saw her a mess the next day.

"None of this would have even happened if it weren't for you. Either way, I'm going to bed." She stood, dusting herself off and giving him one fleeting glare before she made her way back to the girls dorm as quietly as possible. But what Draco had said left Rose something to think about as she climbed back into her warm, comfy and most importantly, safe bed. The three-headed dog was guarding something. But what?

Hagrid had told her that Gringotts was the safest place in the world for something you wanted to hide or keep safe –except perhaps Hogwarts.

Rose smirked.

At least she knew now what had been done with that package Hagrid had taken from vault seven hundred and thirteen. Now the only questions left were what it was, why it had to be protected – and, from whom.

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

Halloween

Getting up earlier than the others, Rose snuck from her dormitory to the girls' baths and washroom to clean off the grime from last night. Once she was done she came back into the girls dorm, returning the glare from Pansy before changing into her school robe, her dirty bathrobe from last night stuffed away with the rest.

Eventually she left the Slytherin dungeons alone to go and meet Ron before breakfast; she wanted to tell him about what Draco had said. She would fill Tracey in later.

Lucky for Rose, she caught Ron on the stairs just as he was leaving Gryffindor tower and immediately started filling him in about the package Hagrid had taken from Gringotts and moved to Hogwarts, wondering out loud to one another what it was that could possibly need such heavy protection.

"It must be something either really valuable or really dangerous," Ron said to her, after being deep in thought.

"Or it could be both," Rose said. The two had had an excellent adventure last night, and in truth Rose was quite keen to have another one. She had never been so scared or had so much fun at the same time in all her life.

So far they could only determine from Rose's description that the item in question had to be at least two and a half inches long, but without seeing inside the packaging they had no further clues as to what it could be.

When they got to the Great Hall for breakfast neither Hermione nor Neveah seemed to show the slightest interest in what it was that lay beneath he trap door the dog was guarding. In fact, Hermione wasn't talking to either one of them at all. Shrugging, Rose sat down at the Slytherin table with Tracey and told her all about last night.

"I will get you back for this, Draco. That was a nasty trick you pulled on Ron that nearly got us all killed," she told him, her jade eyes set in a cold and hard glare as she gave him fair warning to her intentions. Thinking there had to be some way to get back at him, she didn't realize how soon her chance would come the next week.

During the rest of the week Rose tried to spend as much time as possible reading her mother's journal, when she wasn't doing the piles of homework McGonagall tended to give or even work on Potions. And so far all she knew was that this Severus person was her mother's best friend while she seemed to despise Rose's father, which did not help Rose's opinion of him grow any more positive, in fact it degenerated any good knowledge of her father for her. He sounded like an awful person at the time and she wondered how her mother had not fallen for someone like her best friend Severus instead of her father?

It was Friday again and Rose was sitting outside with Hagrid for the weekday teatime, which had become a ritual after their first, when she decided to try a spell that the twins had taught her using Fang as a practice dummy. Taking out her wand she pointed it at Fang and cast the charm.

"He looks like a bloody poodle," said Hagrid after Rose cast the fur spell on his dog and watched as he grew curly fur all over until he was a big fluff ball.

Fang gave a doggy groan as he laid on the floor, covering his eyes with his paws as Rose held the stitch in her side from laughing so hard that she had near fallen off the stump that was her seat.

"_Calvorio_." She spoke the curse it worked well enough to remove all of the fluff Fang had gained with the spell until he was once again his old coarse-haired self again, drooling all over her.

"Hagrid, do you know anyone that is named Severus? My mother mentioned him in her journal, she said he was her best friend," Rose asked, looking up at Hagrid as she continued to pet Fang, and she noticed how genuinely startled he looked by her question.

"O' course I know him. Severus is Professor Snape's name. Blimey, I'm surprised you didn't hear one o' the other teachers mention it."

This time it was Rose's turn to be the startled one.

No wonder Snape had seemed so familiar; her mother even had photos of them together. He was the little boy. But he seemed so different from how her mum had described him. He seemed so cold and bitter now, even a bit lonely.

That evening, as Rose made her way back down to the dungeons from Hagrid's, all she could think about was Professor Snape and her mother when she was at school. She thought of the boy Snape had once been and the man he was now and what it was that had changed him.

She was nearly at the entrance to the Slytherin common room when she saw the exact person of her thoughts come down the corridor. As they came to an impasse Rose gave him a sudden smile that seemed to stop the man in his tracks.

"Goodnight Professor Snape," she told him before running off for the common room. And as she walked through the passage beyond the wall into the Slytherin chambers, Snape continued to stand in his place in a state of shock.

"And to think that I could ever attempt to hate her," he mumbled to himself, shaking his head before walking back to his own bedchambers for the night. All the while he thought about the little girl he had met in the park all those years ago, before the wizarding world turned dark, and how one misspoken word stole from him the love of his life.

* * *

The next week, after spending all weekend thinking of ways to get revenge on Draco, Rose's answer came to her in the form of a very strangely shaped package. That morning, as the owls came flooding in to the Great Hall it was the long, thin package that six large screech owls were carrying that caught everyone's eye. And with amazement she watched as the owls soared and dropped the package right on the table in front of her. Hedwig dropped a letter on the parcel after them before staying to steal a bit of toast as usual and to hear praise for her delivery.

"Good girl, Hedwig," Rose said, petting her companion and rewarding her with a bit of fruit to eat as she opened her letter.

_This parcel contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand. Marcus Flint will meet you tonight at seven o'clock on the Quidditch field for your first training session. And do feel free to open it at the table. As a Slytherin I expect you to make sure to gloat at the Gryffindors._

_Professor S. Snape_

With excited glee Rose handed the note to Tracey before tearing into her parcel, unwrapping and pulling away the wrapping until her new broomstick lay out for all of the Slytherin table to see.

Draco's face turned red as a tomato as his jaw hung slackly, while his head looked ready to explode as he saw her broomstick with jealousy and spite clear in his eyes.

"As the Muggles say, Draco, 'Revenge is a dish best served cold'," she told him before she went back to her new broomstick as everyone crowded around, Ron leaning over behind her to see, his eyes wide and jaw just as slack as Draco's across from her.

Turning to the High Table she didn't see Snape looking at her but she did notice how he was grinning at McGonagall, who retuned his smirk with her own glare.

"That's a Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned with envy, looking almost ready to drool as he reached out to touch its polished mahogany handle.

"But first years aren't allowed their own broomstick. You'll be in real trouble this time," Draco said quickly, trying to hide his embarrassment and surprise.

"Oh, dear, I didn't tell you? And I was so sure I did! They want me to be the new Slytherin Seeker, and I owe it all to you, Draco."

He looked at her, confused.

"If you hadn't stolen Neveah's Remembrall then I would never have flown after you, and McGonagall would never have seen me flying, and she wouldn't have gone to Professor Snape who took me to Marcus Flint and put me on the team!" she explained, smiling as he stood from the table and marched off angrily with his nose in the air.

"Serves the prat right after the trick he played on us," Ron said, and Rose silently agreed as she traced over the golden letters that spelled out _Nimbus Two Thousand_ near the top. And even Rose, who knew nothing of brooms, thought it was beautiful.

"You must me the youngest seeker in a-"

"-century. At least that's what Professor McGonagall says," Rose finished for Ron as they and Tracey walked out of the Great Hall, getting closer to the dungeons when suddenly the twins decided to pop out from wherever they'd been hiding to sling an arm around the two girls, ignoring their little brother.

"So we heard you're the new Slytherin Seeker, Ro. We're the Beaters on the Gryffindor team, it's our job to keep the Bludgers away from our team and aim them at yours. But since we like you, we'll try to give you a heads up when we hit one your way." They grinned and Rose's eyes widened in terror. She wasn't sure what a Bludger was yet, but it did not sound pleasant.

"Th-thanks, I think," she said as they grinned, both giving her a sloppy kiss on each cheek at the same time before disappearing to mostly likely go and create more mayhem with their pranks.

"Tracey, why is your face all red?" Rose asked as she saw the color in her friend's cheeks that had begun to spread after Fred had taken his arm from around her shoulders to leave them with his brother. But she didn't answer, and only turned her face away and started to walk faster.

The rest of the day, after putting her broom next to her bed in the Slytherin girls dorm, all Rose could think about was Quidditch and Professor Snape. She had to really focus on her lessons, except for Potions; even with Professor Snape standing at the front she was completely preoccupied with her brewing. Also, it was the one class that she was better at than Hermione was, and Ron tended to revel at that little fact. But besides Rose and Draco, Hermione still remained one of the best in the class.

As seven o'clock came closer and closer to arriving, Rose grabbed her brand new broomstick and made her way from the girls dorm into the Slytherin common room where she heard Tracey.

"Oh, would you stop sulking already, Malfoy? It's unbecoming of you!" the girl snarled with disdain as she spared him a glace over her Transfiguration textbook, annoyed with the aura he was giving off and only one of the many he was putting off with his pouting. Rose just ignored him as she entered the room, before someone was suddenly shoving her to the floor.

She glared up at Millicent Bulstrode as the girl passed her, making sure to step on her new broom as she did. Rose was thankful that she didn't snap it in half. She wasn't the only one, however, who was now glaring at the aptly nicknamed overweight copy of Pansy for she had even cut her hair the same way. Both Tracey and Draco now had their eyes on the round girl who had shoved Rose down. Draco, because he believed he was the only one who was allowed to make Rose's life miserable, and Tracey because she was Rose's best friend and didn't stand for others pushing her girl around.

But Rose ignored it as she stood and brushed herself off. It wasn't the first time she'd found herself on the floor, or had been pushed into a wall or tripped by another student; some of them other Slytherins and others from the other houses who thought she was a traitor, evil, for being sorted into Slytherin. She was used to it by now.

When it came close to seven o'clock, Rose left the castle to set off for the Quidditch field in the dusk of the evening. She had never been inside the stadium until now. There were hundreds of seats raised in the stands around the field, high enough for all the spectators to see _everything_ going on. At either end of the field there were golden poles with hoops on the ends. They reminded Rose of those little plastic sticks that Muggle children blew bubbles through, except these ones were fifty feet high.

She looked around for Marcus but he appeared to be running late. Too eager and not wanting to wait for him to arrive to be able to fly again, Rose mounted her broomstick and kicked off from the ground. It was such a wonderful feeling, being in the air. She swooped in and out of the goalposts and then sped up and down the field. The Nimbus Two Thousand turned whenever she wanted it to with the slightest of touches.

"Get your girly arse down here, Potter!" Marcus ordered from below as he dropped a large wooden trunk onto the grass.

Flying down, Rose landed perfectly in front of Marcus as he looked her over before smirking.

"Impressive. You really are a natural. First off, before I start your hard training I'm going to teach you the rules. Then you will start your solo training with me on the weekends along with team practice three times a week," he told her with a devilish smile and Rose gulped before he leaned down to unlock the trunk, which seemed to rattle as if something inside was trying to escape from within it.

As he flicked the last latch and the top of the trunk swung back, Rose saw the four different balls that were inside. Two of which were strapped down, struggling to break free and she realized they must have been what was making the trunk shake.

"Quidditch is simple enough to understand, but actually playing the game in a whole other story. Each team has seven players, three Chasers – one is me – two Beaters, one Keeper, and one Seeker – that's you," he told her and Rose repeated what he said in her head for memorization. Marcus then pulled out a large red ball, the size of a soccer ball from the center.

"This is the Quaffle" Flint said, tossing it up and down in his hands before throwing it to her hard, aiming for her center and grinning when she caught it with just a slight grunt from the force. She managed to keep her balance, before tossing the ball back with all of her strength and grinning as she watched Flint catch it between his hands, just late enough for it to make impact with his stomach and for him to give a flinch of pain.

"The Chasers throw the Quaffle to each other and try to get it through one of the hoops of the opposite team to score points. You get ten points each time you get the Qauffle through a hoop. Follow me so far, shortstop," she glared at him for the new nickname but nodded. What he was describing was similar to Muggle basketball, except there were six hoops and not two.

"The Keeper flies around their team's hoops and tries to stop the other team from scoring," he explained.

Getting down what the Keeper and Chasers were, and remembering a bit of what Fred and George had said about being Beaters, Rose tried to memorize things mentally**.** But when Marcus gave her a look she made sure to repeat it out loud so he knew she understood.

"And what about those?" she asked, gesturing at the two balls straining to escape the straps holding them inside. They were completely black and just slightly smaller than the Quaffle.

"Those are Bludgers. You might want to take this, cupcake, if you don't want to get that pretty face of yours busted up before you even get on the pitch," he grinned handing her a small club, just a little shorter than a baseball bat. Marcus then leaned down and unstrapped one of the balls.

The moment it was released, the black ball shot high in the air and then started to pelt back down straight at Rose's face. Rose swung at it with the club to prevent it from breaking her nose, with a strength that continued to surprise Marcus, as she sent it flying away into the air and he gave a whistle.

"You wouldn't half make a bad Beater, cupcake. And for a girl that's saying something, seeing as there are almost no female Beaters in Quidditch," Rose smiled; she had to give credit to her cousin Dudley for that one, after being beaten in the arms so much she had ended up growing some muscle as if to adapt and protect herself better, not to mention all the heavy lifting Vernon made her do around the house.

The Bludger zigzagged in the air for a few more seconds before coming back around and shooting towards Marcus, who managed to catch it in his arms before making a dive to the trunk and pressing it back inside to strap it down once again next to its twin.

"The Bludgers are made to rocket around, trying to knock the players off of their brooms. That's why each team has two Beaters – I'm sure you already know that those two dolts Fred and George are the Gryffindor Beaters, and it's the Beaters job to protect their side from the Bludgers and try to knock them towards the other team. Now does your tiny mind comprehend all of that, cupcake?" he smirked nastily and she rolled her eyes at his sarcasm.

"Yes. The three Chasers try to score with the Quaffle; the Keepers guard the goalposts; the Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team," she repeated what he had taught her so far.

"Good, now all that is left is to see if you can actually survive during a game."

And suddenly, Rose did not want to be on the team anymore.

"Ah, I almost forgot the most important ball of the game." Marcus then plucked the fourth, and last ball left in the trunk. Compared to the Quaffle and the Bludgers, this little ball was tiny and about the size of a large walnut. The moment the bright gold ball was placed in her palm, little silver wings peeled away from around it with a flutter.

"_That, _is the Golden Snitch and it is the most important ball of the lot of them. It's so fast it's near impossible to see. It's your job as Seeker to catch it before the other team's Seeker, because whoever catches the Snitch wins their team an extra hundred and fifty points, almost always winning the game. Any questions?" he asked lastly, and Rose shook her head. She understood what she had to do, it was actually _doing_ it later on that she was going to have a problem with.

"Good, now let's start your training. This year's Quidditch season is ours, and by damn if anything is going to stop me from winning." His voice was cold and cruel and Rose was almost scared.

That night, Rose spent hours catching golf balls in the dark on her broom as Marcus threw them in the air for her, and she didn't miss a single one. Only when Rose looked ready to fall asleep on her broom did Flint finally call it a night.

Maybe it was because she had become so busy with Quidditch practice three times a week and weekend practice with Flint, or all the homework even, but Rose could barely believe it when she finally realized she had been at Hogwarts for two months already. The castle had come to feel more like home to her than Privet Drive ever had. Even her lessons had finally become more interesting now that they had mastered the basics. And she had come to fall in love with Potions, just like her mother; even Professor Snape seemed to be at the start of taking a shine to her.

On Halloween morning they awoke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors from the kitchens, making the students' mouths water in anticipation. But thinking of the tragedy of what had happened on this date Rose just wanted to hide beneath the covers of her bed for the whole day instead.

Things got better when Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were all ready to start making objects fly, something that they had all been dying to try since they had seen him make Neveah's toad zoom around the classroom like that American comic hero Superman.

Professor Flitwick put them all in pairs to practice. Rose, much to her dismay, was partnered with Draco who was currently doing that 'suave' eyebrow lift he did towards her. Seamus was working with Neveah, and Ron to his own dismay was partnered with Hermione. It was difficult to tell which one was angrier about the arrangement. Hermione still hadn't spoke to either one of them since Rose got her broomstick.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing," squeaked Professor Flitwick, sitting atop his pile of books as usual.

"Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the incantation properly is very important, too – never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

That _did_ sound unpleasant.

The task was far more difficult than any of them had predicted. Rose and Draco swished and flicked but their feather, which was meant to fly skyward, lay still on the table. Ron, across the room with the other Gryffindors wasn't having any more than they were.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill around him, nearly hitting Hermione in the face.

"S-stop, just stop before you take someone's eye out, most likely mine!" Hermione said, finally snapping and turning to Ron next to her.

"You're saying it wrong. It's Wing-_gar_-dium Levi-_o-_sa, you have to make the 'gar' nice and long when you say it," she told him.

"Fine then, you do it if you're so clever," Ron snarled, his temper on a short fuse as always when it came to Hermione.

Flicking her wrist, Hermione let the sleeves of her Gryffindor robe fall back to the crook of her elbows, and cleared her throat softly, "_Wingardium Leviosa!" _As she swished her wand the feather rose off their desk and hovered about four feet above their heads, continuing to rise as Hermione instructed it to do so with her wand.

"Oh, well done! See here, everyone. Miss Granger's done it!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping.

Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of class, and Seamus had managed to blow up his feather and set fire to his eyebrows. Again.

"It's no wonder she doesn't have any friends. She a nightmare, honestly!" Ron told Rose as they walked across one of the numerous courtyards, and Rose was about to tell him off when someone pushed past her, and knocked into Ron's shoulder. It was Hermione, and Rose was startled when she caught a glimpse of tears in her eyes.

"I think she heard you," Rose said sadly before turning to Ron in anger and giving him a nasty glare.

"Honestly, Ron, you can be as mean as Draco sometimes," she told him before she hurried off and away from him as well, linking arms with Tracey and walking off to leave Ron to stew.

Hermione didn't show up for the next class they shared and wasn't seen all afternoon. On their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Rose and Tracey heard two Gryffindor girls, Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown, talk about how Hermione was crying the girls bathroom and wanted to be left alone. A moment later they entered the Great Hall, the decoration taking their minds off Hermione.

A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while another thousand swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. And just like the start-of-the-term banquet the food appeared from thin air on the golden plates before them.

Rose hummed softly as she helped herself to a baked potato, trying to keep her mind off her parents, when there was a loud noise and Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face.

"Troll – in the dungeons!" he screamed with fright before stopping suddenly in the center of the hall.

"Thought you ought to know." His voice was soft and shaky before he promptly fainted where he had stood.

There was uproar now. Draco was screaming beside her looking around wildly before clinging to her, and Rose struggled to break free as he wrapped his arms around her tightly, looking ready to cry. It took a booming yell from Dumbledore to finally settle the students, Draco easing his arms from her and trying to act collected when their eyes met.

"Prefects will lead their houses back to the dormitories immediately. Teachers will come with me to the dungeons," Dumbledore rumbled calmly.

While Percy seemed to be in his element among the Gryffindors, the Slytherin Prefect was a bit worse for wear as he struggled to keep himself standing on shaky legs.

Remaining close to Ron, as long as she could while staying near her own house, Rose asked him how a troll could possibly have gotten in.

"Don't ask me, I heard trolls are supposed to be really stupid. Maybe Peeves let it in as a Halloween joke."

They were just about to separate at the stairs when Rose pulled him back, "I've just remembered. Hermione is still in the girls bathroom, she doesn't know about the troll!" she told him frantically with concern, and he watched Ron fight an inner battle to go or not to go before Rose gave him a good swat.

"Oh, all right!" he snapped before the two of them ducked down and joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipping down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the girls bathroom. They had just turned the corner when they heard quick footsteps behind them.

"Percy!" Ron hissed with assumption as he pulled Rose behind a large stone griffin. But when they risked peering around it, they saw not Ron's older brother but Draco.

"And where did you two think you were running off to alone?" he asked them pointedly as he watched them step out from behind their hiding spot.

"We're going to get Hermione. She's in the girls bathroom and doesn't know about the troll," Rose told him honestly, it wasn't as if what they were doing was really bad.

They suddenly heard another pair of footsteps coming down the corridor and both Rose and Ron pulled Draco with them behind the statue. It was Snape. He quickly crossed the corridor and disappeared from their view.

"What on Earth is he doing? Shouldn't he be down with the rest of the teachers in the dungeons?" Rose whispered; her brow furrowed with confusion.

Ron shrugged.

"And we should be with the rest of our house," Draco told her as he tried to pull her back to rejoin the rest of their classmates but she just shook him off.

"Then go back, you're the one who followed us. We didn't make you come along," Rose said to him with an annoyed glare.

Quietly as they possibly could, they crept along the next corridor after Snape's fading footsteps.

"He's heading for the third floor," Rose said, remembering their nasty adventure there that night.

"Can you smell that?" Ron asked the two Slytherins with him.

Rose sniffed the air and cringed when, what smelt like a mixture of old socks and a public toilet no one seemed to clean attacked her nostrils with its foul stench.

"What is that?" Draco asked with disgust as he held the sleeve of his robe up and over his mouth and nose.

And then they heard it – a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet, even bigger then Hagrid's.

Ron pointed at a passage to the left, where something was moving towards them. The three shrank back into the shadows and watched as it emerged into a patch of torchlight.

"I think the troll's left the dungeon," Ron muttered as Rose pulled him and Draco back deeper into the shadows.

It was a terrible sight. The troll was twelve feet tall, with dull, granite-gray skin, its lumpy body like a boulder with its small, bald head perched on top. It had short legs that were thick as tree trunks with flat, horned feet. The smell coming from it was absolutely putrid, and it was holding a huge wooden club that dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.

The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears as it made up its small mind and slouched slowly into the room.

"Oh no, it's going into the girls bathroom!" Rose gasped, as the three of them went pale as the Bloody Baron. They ran up to the corner and heard something that made their hearts stop in their chests – a high, petrified scream.

"_Hermione!_" Ron and Rose said together.

Running inside, they saw as the troll swiped its club through the cubicles, the wood breaking apart and splintering to the floor as Hermione crawled from under the rubble across to beneath the sinks. The troll followed and swung down again, taking out one of the sinks as Hermione crawled to the one beside it and shrieked as it barely missed her.

"Confuse it!" Rose said desperately to Ron and Draco, seizing a piece of broken ceramic from the sinks and throwing it as hard she could at the troll.

The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione as the piece of ceramic collided with the back of its head. It lumbered around, blinking it eyes stupidly, to see what it was that had hit him.

Its tiny eyes saw Rose. For a moment it hesitated, and then made for her instead, lifting its club as it went, readying to bring it down on her.

"Oi, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side as he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll barely noticed when it hit its shoulder, or the piece of ceramic Draco threw at its back, but it did hear their yells and paused again before turning its ugly snout towards the boys this time, giving Rose the chance to run around it to the other girl.

"_Run!_" Rose yelled at Hermione as she tried to pull the girl from the floor and towards the door. But she wouldn't move, she was still crammed beneath what remained of the sinks, her mouth open with terror.

The shouts and echoes seem to be driving the troll berserk, giving a roar before it started towards Ron who was the nearest and had no way to escape.

Rose, leaving Hermione, then did something very brave and very, very stupid: she took a great running jump and managed to fasten her arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll didn't even seem to notice Rose hanging there, but it did notice when Rose stuck her wand up its nose.

Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Rose clinging for dear life; any second; any second, the troll was going to rip her off or catch her with a blow from its club.

With Hermione still stuck beneath the sinks, Ron pulled out his wand while Draco continued to throw anything that he could continue to get his hands on the troll.

"Leave her alone you ugly beast!" Draco yelled at the creature, but with a lunge the troll wrapped its hand around both of Draco's legs and lifted him from the ground to hang upside down as he brought his club – from trying to hit Rose on its back – to swinging it at Draco.

"Do something, Weasley! I don't want to be killed by some _stupid _troll!" Draco cried as he lifted his body up to avoid the club.

"Swish and flick!" Hermione yelled at Ron, making the movement with her own hand.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_" Ron cried, and the troll's club flew out of his hand, rising higher and higher into the air, turned slowly over, and then dropped with a sickening crack onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot, dropping Draco from its grasp to the floor and then fell flat on its face, with a loud thud that made the whole room tremble.

Getting up and off of the troll Rose realized she was shaking and out of breath as she watched Draco crawl backwards, as far from the troll as possible until finally his back was hitting the wall. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done.

"Never thought I would say this. But good job, Weasley," Draco praised Ron as he stood on trembling legs and walked towards the trio.

"Is it – dead?" Hermione asked as she crawled her way out from where she had been hiding.

"I don't think so. Just knocked out," Rose said, before bending down and pulling her wand out of the troll's nose. "Urgh, so gross – troll boogers," she said, blanching before wiping it clean on the troll's pants. As if she was going to dirty her clothes any more than this little scuffle had already done so.

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the three of them look up. They hadn't even realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting in to the destroyed remains of what was once the girls lavatory, closely followed by Snape, and Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll and let out a faint whimper.

Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron, Draco and Rose. Rose had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white.

"What on Earth happened in here?" she asked with a cold fury, despite the obvious answer to her question, "The four of you are lucky you weren't killed."

"Why aren't you in your dormitories?" she said and Snape gave Rose and Draco a piercing look. Rose turned her eyes to the floor before noticing the drop of concern in his eyes, as he looked her over for any possible injury.

A voice spoke up, "It's my fault, Professor, they were only looking for me. I went looking for the troll thinking I could handle it, since I've read all about them."

Ron dropped his wand along with his jaw. He couldn't believe it; Hermione Granger was actually lying to a teacher.

"If they hadn't come and found me, I would probably be dead. Rose was so brave, she jumped on the troll's back and stuck her wand up its nose while Malfoy distracted it from attacking Rose. And Ron used a spell to knock it out with its own club. They didn't have time to fetch anyone, and it was just about to finish me off when they arrived," Hermione explained to McGonagall while Rose, Draco and Ron had to try to look as if the girl's story was not news to them. If they bought her story, Draco wasn't about to saying anything different if it meant he didn't get into trouble.

"I am greatly disappointed in you, Miss Granger."

Hermione hung her head in shame and Rose was absolutely speechless. Hermione was the last person in the entire school to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending that she had, and lying to get them out of trouble. Rose and Draco weren't even in the same house as her.

"Five points will be taken from Gryffindor for your terrible lack of judgment. And you three," McGonagall turned to them, "Not many first year students could easily take on a fully grown mountain troll. You each win your houses five points, for sheer dumb _luck_."

She shared a glance with Professor Snape who gave a nod of approval for the given points to his house.

"And you can be sure that Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You four may go now and I expect you to go straight to your common rooms." Saying that, she dismissed them.

From that moment on, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy had become their friend in some form or another. After all, there are just some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking a twelve-foot mountain troll was one of them.

**TBC**


	20. Chapter 20

**So here it is. The newest chapter coming out of my beta hiatus(that's what I'm calling it) brought to you by the amazing help of my beta Maggie also know as WhatIsThisNonsense. She has been so great to work with and am glad to say that I will be continuing to work with her together on this fic.  
**

**Please enjoy.  
**

Quidditch

As they entered the month of November the weather turned cold. The mountains around the school became ice-gray while the lake was chilled like steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost and more than once, Rose had slipped during her early morning run as part of the training Flint was making her undergo. At least, however, she got to speak with Hagrid in the mornings, when he was defrosting the broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaver skin boots while all she had was a tracksuit, gloves and her Slytherin house scarf.

The Quidditch season had finally begun and Flint had doubled her training to get her ready for their first match on Saturday: Slytherin vs. Gryffindor. If Slytherin won they would move up to second place in the House Championship. Flint had told her that if she caught the Golden Snitch in the coming match then he would make her permanent Seeker, but if she couldn't then she would be a team Beater.

At least a dozen other students had already seen Rose participating in different forms of solo training but no one had ever seen her actually play yet. Flint was calling her his wild card. With people knowing she was Slytherin's new possible Seeker, Rose didn't know which was worse – people telling her that she would be brilliant or people telling her that they would be running around holding a mattress beneath her.

Rose was thankful that she had Tracey and Hermione as friends or she wouldn't have gotten through even half of her homework with how much Flint had been taking up her time with training. Hermione had leant her the _Quidditch Through the Ages_ book that she had taken from the library those months ago when they were just learning to fly. And Rose had found it a very interesting read.

She had already learned that there were seven hundred ways of committing a foul in Quidditch, and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players, and that the most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them; and finally that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert. It truth the book brought her no comfort whatsoever.

Hermione had become a little more relaxed about breaking school rules since Rose, Draco and Ron had saved her from the mountain troll, and she was also much nicer to Ron for it as well. The day before Rose's first match the four of them (Draco had invited himself), were out in one of the freezing courtyards during break. Hermione had conjured a bright blue fire that could be carried in a jar. They were each standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Professor Snape started to cross the yard.

Rose noticed that he was limping. Rose, Hermione, and Ron all moved closer together to hide the jar of fire from view, even Draco shuffled in slightly, though he didn't wear the same guilty face the others had that caught Snape's eye. The man himself began to limp towards them but it appeared he remained unaware of the fire behind their backs, although there was still a suspicion.

"Malfoy?" he questioned the young man, surprised to see him grouped with the rest of them though not completely caught off guard by it. He had noticed the boy seemed to stick himself rather close to Rose since school had started and even more often now after the incident with the troll.

"Afternoon, Professor," he replied coolly with a nod.

"What is that you have there, Potter?" Snape asked, referring to the book in her hands. It was her mother's journal; she had decided to leave _Quidditch Through the Ages_ in the common room. After a while it had just become depressing.

"A journal, sir," she told him, her eyes looking anywhere but at him. It was hard to look him in the face after how much her mother written about him.

"I believe that a journal is meant to be written in, but clearly you are reading it and it doesn't appear that it is meant for school notes. How very peculiar," he mused, and Rose let out a heavy sigh.

"It's my mother's journal, sir. She left it for me as a guide of sorts to help me through my own school years," she admitted, trying to see what type of reaction he would give her at the mention of her mother. She was rewarded with witnessing Snape pale with some form of shock and fear, before he quickly limped away from them without another word.

"What was that about?" Draco asked her with surprise as he watched their head of house retreat so very quickly.

Rose only shrugged, although she had a feeling she knew the real reason the man had run off so fast, but she wasn't about to tell anyone else. One of these days, however, she was going to have the courage to finally ask Snape about his relationship with her mother.

"I wonder what's wrong with his leg?" Rose said aloud as she watched their Potions professor limp those last few steps across the yard.

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron, and both Hermione and Rose reprimanded him for his bitter remark, where Draco just scoffed.

It was one of those rare evenings when the Slytherins were as loud and boisterous as the Gryiffindors and Rose was sitting at one of the multiple round tables in the common room finishing the remains of her Charms homework. When done, she was ready to be put it away in her school bag until tomorrow's class.

Rose was restless. Now that she was finished with all of her homework she had absolutely nothing else to do and the noise in the common room was beginning to give her a headache. Staring out of the large windows that looked over the water of the lake, she pondered the man that was Severus Snape and what he had once meant to her mum. Maybe it was about time she asked him.

Telling Tracey that she was going to ask Professor Snape a question about the potion they had done in class, Rose left the common room and made her way through the dungeons and up to the staff room. She hoped that maybe if he wouldn't say anything to her in front of the other teachers then maybe he at least would schedule time for them to discuss it.

She swallowed her fear as she got closer. After all, what real reason did she have to be afraid of Snape? He seemed to favor her greatly in the classroom these days giving her no reason to think he would treat her any differently or harshly if she questioned him.

Reaching the staff room, the first thing she did was knock. There was no answer. She knocked again. Still nothing. Thinking that she hadn't been heard she slowly pushed the door ajar and peered inside – but instead of just finding Snape and one or two other teachers she was met with a terrible sight.

'_What on Earth? I knew his leg must be injured, but this-' _

Snape and Filch were both inside the staff room alone together. Snape was holding his robes above his knees. One of his legs was bloody and mangled, and Filch was handing him bandages for it. It looked extremely painful.

"Blasted thing. How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?" Snape said, and Rose realized that she was prying into something that she was not meant to see or hear and tried to shut the door quietly, telling herself she would come back another day.

'_Obviously this is a bad time. I can always ask him about my mum later,' _she thought, backing away slowly, trying to be quiet. But the old hinges of the door squeaked and she nearly jumped at Snape's voice.

"POTTER!"

Rose cringed, and she turned back around to see Snape's face twisted with fury as he dropped his robes to quickly attempt to hide his injured leg.

Rose gulped, "I'm sorry, sir, I just wanted to ask you a question about something, I didn't mean to-"

That was all she got out though, before Snape was yelling at her again, "GET OUT! OUT!"

Rose left before she could hear him take any points from their house and she sprinted back through the dungeons and to the Slytherin dormitories. When Rose returned she was too distracted to even notice Tracey asking her if she had gotten what it was she went to retrieve from Professor Snape.

"Oh, no I didn't. But I found out something really awful," she told her, finally answering the other girl's repeated question. She had already told Tracey about her encounter with the three-headed dog before, so when they were in the more private surroundings of their dorm, Rose told her what she had seen.

"I don't want to believe it, I really don't, but isn't it possible that Professor Snape tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween? That was where me, Ron, even Draco, saw him go when we were going towards the girls bathroom that night to warn Hermione about the troll," she said, as they sat together, crisscrossed in their night gowns on Tracey's bed, the curtains closed and a silencing charm placed for privacy.

"He could be after what it's guarding. He could have even been the one to let the troll in that night as a diversion!"

Tracey didn't seem to agree as she shook her head in denial, "It's not wise to assume anything just yet until we have more evidence that it was him. Talk to that Granger friend of yours, she's smart, I bet you she could give you a reasonable explanation for his injury." After giving the advice, the girl removed the silencing charm and shooed Rose off her bed as she bid her good night, encouraging her to put the whole notion on Professor Snape away before she got the entire Slytherin house in trouble with him.

'_Maybe I'm just over thinking all of this. I'm sure there are plenty of ways Professor Snape could have gotten such an injury,'_ Rose thought, getting into her own bed.

Sitting up, she listened to Millicent Bulstrode's snores as she brushed her hair a final time before lying down. Her mind was buzzing with so many questions she hadn't realized she was putting magic into her brushing until she looked down and saw that her hair must have grown at least five inches.

'_Not again,'_ Rose thought as she stared at the lock of her hair in her hand. It tended to happen when she was deep in thought. Her magic came out, and for some reason it always seemed to focus on her hair and make it grow. But then, it was said that magic could be unpredictable at times.

Putting her brush on her bedside table, Rose then proceeded to put her hair in two braids, tying the ends with a bit of the ribbon from her mum's box and attempting to empty her mind. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep with it filled with so many thoughts and theories. She would have to talk to Ron and Hermione about this as well, but for now she tried to put it aside so she could sleep. But she couldn't get rid of the memory of Snape's expression when she had seen his leg, and in a few hours she would play in her very first Quidditch match. She needed her sleep.

She sat up again, and climbing to the end of her bed she took her mother's box back out and retrieved the porcelain doll whose name, she had discovered, was Elizabeth. It had been written on the bottom of the doll's right shoe, while the left had her mother's name to know whom she belonged to. Putting the box back before the light of the lilies woke her roommates, Rose laid back down with Elizabeth in her arms. And suddenly, she felt as if it was her mother next to her and not just a doll; it always felt like this when she held Elizabeth and was the perfect antidote to calm her – besides making herself a sleeping drought.

"Good night, mum, wish me luck tomorrow," she whispered softly, before finally drifting to sleep for the night.

* * *

The next morning dawned very bright and cold as it had for the previous days of the month so far.

Meeting up with Hermione and Ron, Rose told them about Professor Snape.

"I know Professor Snape isn't very nice, except maybe to you and Draco, but I don't think he would try to steal something that Dumbledore was trying to keep safe," Hermione said, trying to speak some sense after Rose's accusation.

"Honestly, you think all teachers are saints or something, Hermione. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What is that dog guarding?" Ron snapped as they walked to the Great Hall together.

None of them had an answer.

The Great Hall was full of the delicious and mouth-watering smell of fried sausages and the loud cheering and chattering of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.

"You have to eat some breakfast, Rose," Tracey said, pushing some bacon towards her, knowing how her friend loved the fried pork but Rose just pushed it back.

"I don't want any." Rose always wanted bacon, and the fact that she didn't that morning was a telltale sign of how nervous she was about the game.

"Come on, mate, at least have a little toast," Ron tried, leaning across from his table. It might be Gryffindor versus Slytherin today, but Ron and Hermione still didn't want to see their friend getting hurt.

'_Can't any of them see I don't want any stupid food?'_ Rose thought, as her agitation grew until she was ready to snap.

"I'm not hungry," she told them, sharply.

Rose not wanting to eat was always a surprise. After all the food deprivation that she was forced to suffer at the Dursleys, Rose always looked forward to meals.

"No fraternizing with the enemy!" Wood yelled at Ron from further down the Gryffindor table, but he rolled his eyes as Hermione tried to convince Rose to eat at least a little of something, anything.

"You should listen to your Gryffindork friends, Potter; you're going to need your strength. After all, the Seekers are always the ones to get clobbered by the other team, and those Gryffindors can be nasty on the field," Theodore Nott said blandly from his spot at the table, just a few seats down and across from her.

"Why thank you, Theodore, that makes me feel loads better," she said, sarcasm dripping like snake venom as she glared at the rabbity boy who only smirked before going back to cutting his eggs, as she stabbed her own fork into a piece of bacon and tore into it with fervor.

By eleven, the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many of the students had binoculars, including Draco. The seats may have been raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.

Ron and Hermione joined Neveah, Seamus and Dean in the top row. Tracey had joined with Hermione to make a banner out of one of the sheets that Scabbers had ruined. With a little of Tracey's cute feminine charm they had gotten Dean, who was apparently quite the artist, to help. The banner had Rose's name on it, and a snake with a rose in it's mouth. Hermione had then performed a tricky spell on it so that the paint flashed different colors.

"Good luck, Potter," Draco said to Rose when he stopped by before going up to the stands.

Tracey was behind him and stayed just a bit longer to wish her luck and French braid her hair back to keep it out of her face during the match. Once she was done, she said a final good luck before leaving Rose to enter the locker rooms to change into her emerald Quidditch robes.

It didn't help that the only encouragement she had on the team was Flint reminding her that if she didn't catch the Snitch then she would be stuck as a Beater for as long as she was on the team.

'_Just wonderful. No pressure, Rose, no pressure at all,'_ Rose thought sarcastically as she felt herself break out into a sweat already. She pulled at the braid at the back of her head and chewed on her lip as she followed her team out onto the field.

'_Please don't let my knee's give out,'_ she prayed, as she walked out to the cheering of the students in the stands.

Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams with her broom in her hand, "Now I want a nice clean game from all of you," she told them as the two house teams gathered around her and seemed to speak particularly to Flint, who only smirked.

Out of the corner of her eye Rose caught sight of the banner made for her, her name fluttering between Hermione and Tracey over the crowd. Rose's heart skipped a little and she felt braver. She could do this; she just needed to believe in herself like her friends believed in her.

"Mount your brooms."

Rose climbed onto her Nimbus Two Thousand. When Madam Hooch gave a loud blast of her silver whistle they all pushed off; fifteen brooms rising high into the air and then they were off.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of the Gryffindor team – what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive too-"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor," Lee Jordan apologized to McGonagall, who was watching him closely as he did the commentary for the match.

Rose didn't pay much attention after that, until suddenly the Gryffindors cheers filled the cold air, while her house howled and moaned as Gryffindor scored.

"Budge up there, move along now, make room," Hagrid said back in the stands as he squeezed himself in to be with Hermione, Ron and Tracey with the other Gryffindor students.

"Hagrid!" the two Gryffindors cried happily as they squeezed themselves together to give him enough room and space to join them.

"Hagrid, this is Tracey Davis." Hermione introduced the Slytherin girl to the giant man, and though she looked a little disgruntled, the blond child did not show any ill manner as she held a hand out to the giant.

"Hello, Rose never shuts up about you," she stated with a bored tone as he took her entire forearm and shook it, watching with interest as all of his face that was visible through his mane of hair turned pink.

"Rose told me all about yeh, too. It's good to know that Rose isn't the only good Slytherin. No offense, of course," Hagrid babbled a bit at the end but Tracey paid his comment no mind.

"No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?" Hagrid asked as he turned to the sky, looking for Rose.

"Nope. Until then Rose doesn't have much to do yet," Ron said, directing the latter information at Hermione as he looked into the air towards his friend.

"Well, she seems to have kept outta trouble so far and that's somethin', at least," Hagrid said, raising the large pair of binoculars around his neck and peering skyward at the speck that was Rose's tiny form.

Way up above all the others, Rose glided over the game, squinting her eyes in search for some sign of the Golden Snitch. Despite all her hard training, Flint wanted her out of the way until she caught site of the Snitch, especially since it was her first game and Flint did not feel like having his wild card knocked out on her first go.

"Slytherin in possession. Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the – wait a moment – was that the snitch?"

A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey nearly dropped the Quaffle when he looked over his shoulder at the flash of gold near his ear.

Rose caught sight of it, and in a great rush of excitement she dived downward after the streak of gold, the free hairs at the end of her braid like a flickering red flame behind her.

Gryffindor Seeker Kenneth Towler, who was in the same year as the Weasley twins, had seen it too. Flying neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch with Rose's size giving her the advantage of lighter weight and faster speed.

All the Chasers seemed to have forgotten at that moment what it was they were supposed to be doing as they hung in mid air to watch the two Seekers race for the Snitch.

Being faster then Towler, Rose could see the little golden ball up ahead with clear vision, it's silver wings fluttering faster then a hummingbird's as it darted ahead of them. Rose felt a sudden thrill that the chase brought and gave an extra spurt of speed as she tried to get further ahead of Towler.

It was when a Bludger came flying at her, forcing her to pull back in order to dodge it, when it happened. Suddenly with no warning her broom gave a frightening lurch, and for a split second she was terrified that she would fall. She gripped her broom tightly with both of her hands and knees. She had never felt anything like this; her broomstick had never acted this way before.

'_What's happening?' _

It happened again. It was as if her broom was trying to buck her off. Rose tried to turn back around toward the Slytherin goalposts and she had half the mind to demand Flint to call a time out, before realizing that her broom was completely out of control. She couldn't turn it. She couldn't even direct it. The Nimbus Two Thousand zigzagged through the air, throwing itself and her this way and that, and every now and then it would make a violent swishing movement that almost unseated her every time. Almost.

Lee continued his commentary, "Slytherin in possession – Flint with the Quaffle in hand – passes to Spinnet – passes to Bell – hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose – ha ha, only joking, Professor – And Slytherin scores-"

The Slytherins cheered but no one seemed to notice that Rose's broom was behaving strangely. Slowly, it started to carry her higher and higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.

"I dunno what Rose thinks she's doing," Hagrid mumbled as he stared through his binoculars up at the sky, following Rose on her broom.

"I swear if I didn' know better, I'd say she's lost control of her broom... But that can't be.."

And then everyone's eyes had turned to watch Rose, as people started to point at her all over the stands.

Her broom had begun to roll over and over, with her barely managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped as her broom gave a wild jerk and Rose swung off it. She was now just dangling from it as, with one hand, she held on for dear life.

Looking through her own binoculars, Hermione watched Rose on her broom, before turning her view slightly downward and past her to the Slytherin stand just opposite of them. She spotted Snape in the center of the stand, seated with his eyes fixed on Rose, muttering nonstop under his breath.

"It's Snape. He's jinxing the broom! Here, look for yourself," she told Ron before handing him the binoculars to see for himself.

"Jinxing the broom? But... why? What do we do, Hermione?" Ron asked in panic as he looked back up to Rose in the sky, dangling like a badly hung Christmas ornament from her broom.

Even the twins had tried to help her now – despite them being on the opposite teams and in the middle of a game. But every time they even attempted to get close enough to help her, the Nimbus Two Thousand would jump further away.

"Leave it to me!" Hermione told him, and Ron just nodded as he stared up into the sky at Rose like everyone else while the other girl slipped away.

As Rose's broom vibrated so hard she feared she wouldn't be able to hold on much longer, she tried to think of a time that was similar and thought back to the past on a summer day when she was chased by Dudley and his little gang all the way up a tree. She had been hanging onto a branch as the bullies shook the tree from below. She had almost spent an hour hanging onto the branch until finally they had grown bored and left her there. She didn't think the same tactic of waiting it out would work in this situation.

The whole crowd was on their feet now as they watched, terrified for Rose. The Weasleys and one member of the Slytherin team dropped lower and circled beneath her in the hope of being able to catch her if she fell. The Slytherin team member seemed to be one who wasn't as much as an ass to leave her like that and use her as a diversion – like Marcus Flint was by scoring five times with the Quaffle without any of the Gryffindors even noticing.

"Come on Hermione, hurry," Ron muttered desperately as he watched Rose through the binoculars.

By that time, Hermione had finished fighting her way across the stands and up where Snape now stood, racing beneath the stand until she reached his seat. Crouching down, she pulled out her wand from her robes and whispered a few words to cast the spell. Flames shot out from the tip of her wand to the catch on the hem of Snape's robes.

It took a complete twenty seconds before someone pointed out to Snape that he was on fire and a sudden yelp was heard as someone pushed Quirrell aside in order to try and get to the Potions Master.

Hermione knew her job was done as she retreated back to her own stands while Snape and other stomped on his robes before finally extinguishing the fire. It had worked, Snape had stopped his muttering and broken his eye contact with Rose's broom for it to finally calm down and allow her to clamber back onto to it.

Rose thanked her one decent teammate and the twins before they were all flying off again.

"Neveah, you can look now," Ron told the girl. Neveah had been sobbing into Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes, fearing that Rose would fall to her death or at least experience very grave injury. Tracey, next to her, was gripping the railing of the stand so hard her knuckles were white as she stared up into the sky towards Rose with fear and worry.

It didn't take long at all for Rose to get back into the game as she flew downward toward Towler who was still chasing the Snitch. Getting herself neck and neck with him again she slammed hard into his side to try to knock him out of her way. Back and fourth they slammed into each other, pushing harder and harder and one particular push from Towler had Rose going around one of the stand before getting back into the pitch and back beside him. Stuck to each other, they dived after the Snitch, and it was a game of chicken after that to see who would pull up first before hitting the ground. But being a typical Slytherin, Rose was the one to keep her nerve as Towler looked at her before pulling back. It wasn't until she almost hit the grass in a dead run that Rose lifted her feet and pressed them to the back of her broom, pulling the front up and pushing the rear down with her feet, causing a gasp to ring from the crowd.

With her feet on her broom she started to lift herself to a stand on it, taking her hands off the handle as she surfed a good foot above the ground. Her hand outstretched towards the Snitch, she inched her self further out along her broom until she stepped too far upon the handle and her weight outdid the balance, and the momentum threw her forward onto the ground, where she rolled until coming to a stop.

Standing back up, she held one hand to her stomach and the other clapped over her mouth as though she was about to be sick, before giving a hurl, and the Snitch popped out from her lips and landed into the palm of her hand.

"I did it. I CAUGHT THE SNITCH!" she shouted, holding the Golden Snitch between her fingers and up above her head for all to see as she waved it about. And despite the game ending with great confusion, the stands erupted in applause from Slytherin and those few Gryffindors who were her friends, along with Hagrid's booming claps.

"Good work, cupcake, you don't have to be a Beater after all," Flint told her as he flew past her.

"Looks like you got yourself one hell of a Seeker there, Flint," Wood complimented to him, facing off in the sky on each of their brooms as Slytherin was declared the winner.

"Only the best for Slytherin," Flint said with a smirk, turning to look down at his team's new Seeker. She may have won them the game, but he was still going to run her ragged with training. And she had earned her place on his team, but not in their house just yet.

Leaving the field, Rose, Hermione, Ron, and Tracey walked to Hagrid's hut, where Rose was made a nice, strong cup of black tea.

"It was Snape. Hermione and I both saw him. And he was cursing your broomstick, muttering something, and never took his eyes off you," Ron explained as Rose took a sip of her team.

"Nonsense. Why would Snape do somethin' like that – I thought you said he seemed to like you, Rose?" Hagrid asked, having heard nothing of what was said between Ron and Hermione in the stands.

"Who knows? Why was he trying to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween? It attacked him, I even saw the bite," Rose told him, sharing a look with Tracey, Hermione and Ron as she decided honesty was the best policy with Hagrid.

A clang sounded when Hagrid dropped the teapot.

"How do you know about Fluffy?" he demanded with a strong look.

"Fluffy?" Rose asked, putting down her teacup.

"That thing has a name?" Hermione asked with surprise.

"Well of course he does – he's mine – bought him off a Greek fella I met in the pub las' year, and then leant him to Dumbledore to guard the-"

"Yes? What is it?" Rose pushed, eagerly.

"Shouldn' have said that. Don't ask me any more questions. That's top secret that is," Hagrid said gruffly to them all.

"But, Hagrid, whatever Fluffy is guarding, Snape is trying to steal it!" she tried to convince him, but he wasn't buying it.

"Rubbish. Professor Snape is a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothing of the sort," Hagrid told them.

"I didn't want to believe it either, I thought he favored Rose with the way he threw points her way in class all the time. But then why would he try to kill Rose? You heard them. Hermione and Ron saw him muttering the curse," Tracey said until another thought hit her, "Then again why would Snape buy Rose her broom if he was only going to jinx it later, when he could just have easily just given it to her anonymously and cursed the broom instead of jinxing it during the match?" She was still doubtful of this whole theory that Rose and her Gryffindor friends had about Professor Snape.

"I suppose you have a point. But then it would be obvious, if he cursed her broom, that someone was trying to murder her, but if he just jinxed it at the match it would look more like an accident," Hermione debated for a moment before looking back up at Hagrid.

"I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid. I've read all about them. You have to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking!" Hermione cried. The afternoon's events had certainly seemed to change both girls' minds about Snape.

"And I'm telling yeh' yer wrong! I don't know why Rose's broom acted like that, but Snape is a Hogwarts teacher and wouldn't eva' try an kill a student," he said to them hotly, "Now, you listen to me, all four of yeh – Yer meddlin' in things that ought not to be meddled in. It's dangerous. What that dog is guarding is strictly between Professor Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel."

"Who's Nicolas Flamel?" Rose asked, and Hagrid looked rather angry with himself as he started to mutter quietly.

"I shouldn't have said that. I should not have said that."

TBC.


	21. Chapter 21

**So here is the newest chapter beta'ed by the wonderful Whatisthisnonsense. I have finally finished the first year and am allowing her to take her time as I am using it to work on the second year.**

* * *

The Mirror Of Erised

Christmas was coming soon. One morning near the middle of December, the entire Hogwarts staff and student body woke to find the ground covered in several feet of snow. The lake had frozen solid and the Weasley twins had found themselves in trouble again for bewitching several snowballs so that they would follow Quirrell around, and hit him in the back of the head, hoping to soak his turban enough with the snow that it would get rid of the stench that came from it.

The corridors of the castle had all become drafty and bitter with cold but luckily all the common rooms were warm and toasty with the roaring fires. The worst of the chill was beyond the Slytherin dormitories where the halls of the dungeons were so cold people could see the mist of their breaths rise in the air. But the common room and dorms of course were kept as warm as the others, if not warmer.

No one could wait for the holidays to start. Rose had first assumed that there would be no question of her staying at the castle for the break, but apparently Draco had informed his parents of her situation and they'd contacted the Headmaster, making a request to have her spend the holiday with them this year. He had agreed, but only if she wished to, and Professor Snape delivered her the news, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy's message being that they thought it would be beneficial to her if she was exposed to more wizarding families. She declined as politely as she could, and ever since she had, Draco had been determined to convince her to change her mind.

"You should be honored to be invited for Christmas with my family, Potter. We live in a mansion, and my mother throws a wonderful celebration, and when Christmas morning arrives the presents are stacked as high as the tree!" Draco boasted to her one day in Potions class.

Rose rolled her eyes and continued to measure out the powdered spine of lion for her and Tracey's potion. Rose had signed up at once for the list of students staying for the Holidays. She was sure she would have far more fun at Hogwarts with Ron and his brothers; their parents were going to Romania to visit their older brother Charlie so the boys would be spending Christmas at Hogwarts this year.

When Rose and the other Slytherins left the dungeons for their next class they were blocked by a large fir tree with two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound that could only mean it was Hagrid behind it.

"Hello, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, It's alright, but thanks, Ron," Hagrid replied.

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Draco's cold drawl from behind them, "Or are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Are you hoping to be a gamekeeper yourself when you grow up? After all, I suppose that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family is used to."

Rose held Ron back as he tried to make a dive for Draco, catching him by his arms before Snape could saw him in the act and he got into trouble. It seemed the adventure with the troll they shared hadn't changed everything between them. Rose was disappointed and Hermione gave her a sympathetic pat on the back, not liking the conflict anymore then Rose did.

"And you wonder why I don't want to spend the holidays with you and your family. Seeing how you treat people everyday at school I can only imagine that you got it from your parents. You're nothing but a horrible, spoiled, little brat!" she told him, before dragging Ron away from the hall as Snape started to walk towards them to see what the commotion was about.

"I can't believe him, I am so glad I don't have to spend the holiday with him!" Rose said loudly with pure disdain as she watched Draco walk away.

"Cheer up, after all it's nearly Christmas," Hagrid told her. But it didn't help at all. She had never celebrated Christmas with the Dursley's. She was forced to stay in her cupboard the entire time, since Christmas was a day for family and apparently she wasn't considered to be a part of theirs. So when they opened presents in the morning by the fireplace, she was allowed to sleep in late before being woken to clean up the mess Dudley always made from the wrappings.

"How about yeh come with me to the Great Hall and see what a treat they made it?" Hagrid offered, and so the three followed him and his tree to the hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with putting up the rest of the Christmas decorations.

"Oh Hagrid, thank you for bringing in the last tree – if you would please put it in the far corner, thank you," Professor McGonagall told him.

The Great Hall was truly a sight to see. It was spectacular. There were festoons of holly and mistletoe that hung all around the walls, and there were no less then twelve towering Christmas trees standing around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.

"How many more days until the holiday starts?" Hagrid asked, bringing down Rose's mood again.

"Just one," Hermione answered him.

"We should probably be spending the half hour left before lunch in the library," Hermione told Ron and Rose, turning back to them (Tracey had refused to get involved with anymore of their plans to persecute the Head of her own house and therefore was hanging around with them less and less).

"The library? Just before the holiday? Bit keen to be studyin', aren't yeh?" Hagrid said, following the three out of the hall.

"Oh, but we're not studying. Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been doing research to try and find out who he is," Rose told him brightly as she walked beside him.

"Didn't I tell yeh all to leave it alone? It's nothing to you what Fluffy is guardin'," Hagrid said in shock.

"Oh, but Hagrid, we just want to know who Nicolas Flamel _is_," Hermione told him and he shook his head, seeing right through her.

"If you could only give us a hint and save us the hassle and trouble, that would be so great," Ron added, knowing the man's name must have come up somewhere, and would be traceable, if they only knew where to look for it.

"I'm not sayin' nothin'," Hagrid said flatly and Rose sighed. She had thought he would make it easier for them but he just didn't seem to be about to crack.

"Then I suppose we'll just have to find out for ourselves. I'm sorry, Hagrid," she told him before they left a disgruntled half-giant for the library.

Ever since Hagrid had let Nicolas Flamel's name slip, they'd been continuously searching through books for his name. After all, what other way did they possibly have to try and discover what exactly it was that Snape was trying to steal? The only trouble was knowing where to begin, seeing as they had no idea what exactly it was Flamel might have done to get his name written in a book.

So far, they couldn't find him in _Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century_, or _Notable Magical Names of Our Time_; and they couldn't find him either in _Important Magical Discoveries_ or _A Study of Recent Development in Wizardry_. Also, the size of the library left them with a vast amount of books to look through, thousands of shelves, and hundreds of narrow rows to wander along.

As Ron strode off down a row of shelves, Hermione took out a list of subjects and tiles she had decided to search while Rose started to wander off towards the Restricted Section. More than once she had thought about whether or not she could find Nicolas Flamel somewhere in there.

Unfortunately for her, people needed a specially signed note from a teacher to be allowed inside and look through any one of the books, and she knew that even if she begged any of the professors she would never get a note. There were books containing very powerful Dark Magic that was never taught at Hogwarts, and were only read by older students who were studying advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Is there something I can help you find, Miss Potter?" Madame Pince asked her with curiosity and wary eyes as the girl lingered a little to near the Restricted Section for her liking.

Rose thought that, for a librarian, Madame Pince was a rather pretty one, she always seemed to dress in robes with some form of feathers, preferably in black, and she wore and a matching hat with a long black feather. Her nails were always painted a pretty dark red, and she had skin the color of old parchment. She had admirably high cheekbones and would be considered beautiful if not for her unfortunate hooked nose that reminded students of a vulture.

"Actually, I was wondering if you could help me find a book on healing salves and moisturizing potions, Ma'am?" she asked.

Madame Pince smiled at her and placed the last book on the shelves before motioning for Rose to follow her.

Rose, Ron, and Hermione had already agreed that it would be for the best not to ask Madame Pince about Nicolas Flamel. They were positive she was probably the only one who could help them but Ron didn't want to risk Snape overhearing and finding out what they were up to.

Rose wasn't technically lying to the woman. Ever since it had started to get cold, Rose's lips had began to chap terribly and she had no Muggle lip balm, so she decided to make her own one. It would be her very own creation if she got it right, and she could only imagine how proud her mother would be if she was here to see her create her own original potion.

"These should have all that you would need to know of healing salves and potions for cosmetic use," Madame Pince said, handing her two leather bound books.

Rose smiled and thanked her for her help.

"If that is all then you should be going, as the library will be closing soon," Madame Pince advised and Rose thanked her again before reuniting with Hermione and Ron who still had found nothing. They had been searching for two whole weeks; every minute possible that they could spare between classes and meals they spent in the library, yet still their search had bore no fruit for them.

Five minutes later, Rose had finished copying down ingredients and instructions for multiple different healing salves, pastes and cosmetic potions that could possible help her in creating her lip salve. With their time having run out, the three of them headed to the Great Hall for lunch.

"You two will keep looking while I'm away, won't you? And you must send me an owl if you find anything," Hermione said to them, and Rose told her she was ridiculous for thinking they wouldn't do just that without her telling them.

"And you must promise me, Rose, if you do succeed in creating that lip salve potion while I'm away you must remember to create some for me. And don't forget to log all of your ingredients and instructions down if you complete it."

Rose agreed, already planning to do so without Hermione's reminder. She had already promised the same for Tracey, and as her friend she would show the same generosity to Hermione, if she managed to actually create the salve without it blowing up in her face or burning through her lips. She would be sure to test it on Pansy first.

* * *

"You'll regret not coming to my home for the holidays, Potter. I bet when I come back you'll be on your knees begging to invite you over next year," said Draco as he sat next to her at dinner the night before students would be leaving home for the holiday.

'_I doubt it,'_ Rose thought, not bothering to say the words out loud as she continued to ignore Draco for the rest of dinner.

The holidays had started, and most of the Slytherins had gone home, including Tracey. The few that remained consisted of Theodore Nott, Daphne Greengrass and Blaise Zabini, all of who pretended Rose didn't exist. It was rather lonely really, but thankfully she still had the Weasleys.

Taking a seat by the fire, Rose opened her mother's journal to where she'd last saved the page with the ribbon attached to the journal.

_Dear Journal,_

_That toe-rag James was at it again with Sev. I just don't understand why he is so cruel to him. Though I suppose Sev does not always help his own cause by fighting back instead of walking away like I suggest he does. I suppose it's that Slytherin pride of his that keeps him from turning his back to James and the rest of his little group that seem to take enjoyment out of tormenting Sev._

_Today we had potions again and as always I made sure to pair up with Sev. Professor Slughorn was impressed with how well our calming draught came out, since we were only first years, and said it was brewed to perfection. There is just something so intricate about potion making that fascinates me. I mean, just imagine how one tiny drop of the right potion can save a man's life. It's incredible, to think of all that we make to help heal the injured and soothe the pain of the tormented. And when I watch Severus stir his potion or chop at the ingredients, for some reason I can't stop staring at his hands. He has these soft, gentle hands, his fingers are long and precise in every movement they make. It's almost as fascinating to watch him as it is to brew the potion._

_And then there are those horrible Avery and Mulciber, always trying to drag Sev into being mean to others, and I wish he would fight them a little more. I can only imagine the influence they could have on him in the seven years he will have to live in Slytherin house with them. We had both wished so hard that we would be in the same house, and it doesn't help at all that apparently Slytherins and Gryffindors are mortal enemies, practically. But I don't care about that because Sev is my best friend and that won't change just because others don't want us to be._

_Christmas is coming and I don't know what I should get Sev, I know he likes the Dark Arts no matter how I dislike his severe interest in them, but maybe I can ask Professor Slughorn for advice. Maybe I can make him a potion of some sort, oh, I know! I could get him a cauldron, I know that he wasn't able to afford to get a very sturdy one and it would be terrible if it just broke one day, not to mention dangerous._

_Uh oh, McGonagall is coming to do bed check. I'll write again tomorrow._

_Good night._

And that was the end of that page. Rose would be reading the journal year by year, like chapters. She would read her mother's records for her first year, and then when her own second year started she would move on to her mother's documented second year. For now, she was taking it page by page, day by day. It was always strange for Rose to read about how her mother acted and treated Professor Snape when they were her own age. Not also to mention that her father seemed to have been as much of a spoiled and mean bully as Draco was.

Closing her mother's journal with a sigh, she looked over her shoulder at Blaise, Theodore and Daphne all at the large round table they had. None of them looked at her and Rose turned back around and started eating anything she could spear on a toasting fork, an idea she had gotten from Ron – Bread, English muffins, marshmallows. You name it; she roasted it.

"That looks really good," Daphne mumbled from behind her as she stared with hungry eyes at the marshmallow Rose was currently holding over the fire, toasting to a brown before the girl pulled it out so it wouldn't set fire and burn.

"Do you want one?" Rose asked, gesturing to the bowl filled with marshmallows atop the small table resting between the two leather couches.

Daphne cleared her throat and lifted her chin before taking a seat on the sofa opposite of Rose, where she took a marshmallow from the bowl, and soon enough everyone was surrounding the fire with light smiles as they roasted marshmallows together. They still weren't really talking, more acknowledging the marshmallows than her, but it was a start.

The next day, Rose spent it outside of the dorm with Ron in the Great Hall as he taught her how to play Wizards Chess. It was exactly like Muggle chess, except for the fact that the figures were alive, which made it a lot like ordering soldiers in a battle. Ron's set was very old and battered, much like everything else he owned, and it had once belonged to his grandfather. But the old chessmen didn't seem a drawback as Ron knew them so well that he had no trouble getting them to do what he told them.

Rose played with chessmen that Theodore Nott had leant her, and they weren't the friendliest to her, as they didn't trust her. Since she was only just learning, Theodore's players kept yelling advice at her, each one saying something different than the other, which made her very confused.

"Don't send me over there, can't you see his knight you stupid girl? Send him, we can afford to loose him," one of the pieces shouted at her. Rose was glad when the game was over.

On Christmas Eve, Rose went to bed looking forward to the next day for the fun and food she would have with Ron.

Waking up the next morning, she stretched before pulling on her robe and going to the common room where the others were all pulling ribbons off of their presents and ripping off the wrapping.

"Merry Christmas," she yawned, and the only one to return her holiday greeting was Daphne.

"You too, your presents are under the tree," the other girl told her, pulling away the last bit of wrapping paper from one of her presents as they sat around the fire.

Confused and surprised, Rose was no less excited as she scrambled to the silver decorated tree, and pulled out the colorfully wrapped parcels and packages.

"I can't believe I actually have presents!" she cried excitedly, and there were so many. The three others in the room gave her a strange look before deciding not to ask questions, and returned to their own gift unwrapping.

Rose picked the top parcel, wrapped in thick brown paper among the shiny colorful bows and paper of the rest of her presents. Scrawled over the paper was written _To Rose, from Hagrid. _Smiling, she unwrapped it to find a roughly carved wooden flute. Obviously Hagrid had whittled it himself, and Rose's smile widened before she blew the flute – it sounded like an owl.

The next present was a square, wrapped package in shiny green paper. This one contained a note. Opening up the letter she found it was from her aunt. _Dear Rose,_ _I thought it fitting that since I gave your mother her very first journal I would also gift you yours. I hope you fill it with every wonderful, detailed event you have at that school of yours. From Aunt Petunia._ Rose quickly tore into it, pulling away the paper until it revealed a red leather journal with a strap and gold, heart-shaped lock to keep it closed. On a string around the strap were the keys to the lock. On the cover of the journal, a large rose was branded, along with the letter R. It was probably the nicest thing her aunt had ever given her – besides the clothes she had presented her with before her train to Hogwarts.

Putting her new journal with her flute, Rose took in her arms a lumpy parcel and plucked the letter from beneath the string around it. _To Rose, Ron told us all about your relatives and how you weren't expecting any presents and I couldn't help but think of how awful it would be for a child not to open any presents on Christmas morning, so I made this for you dear, to help keep you warm on those chilly winter nights! Merry Christmas, Mrs. Weasley._ Tearing open the paper, Rose found a thick, hand-knitted pink sweater and a large box of homemade fudge. She would _have_ to wear it to show Ron. He was always complaining about the legendary Weasley Sweaters that his mother made his family every year, _his_ one always being maroon, much to his distaste. Rose took a bite of the fudge. It was delicious, and she would have to make sure she thanked the woman in a letter.

Her next present also contained sweets – a large box of chocolate frogs from Hermione. There were four presents left.

Picking up a green wrapped one with silver ribbon tied in a bow, Rose had a pretty good guess as to whom it was from. Taking the note, she saw it only read _**To Miss Rose Potter, Christmas greetings from the Malfoys. **_The handwriting was so perfect and elegant, Rose thought that it was almost so perfect that it looked like it could be printed. Opening the present, she found an emerald silk robe with silver roses stitched into the hemming.

"How nice of them," Rose muttered to herself before putting the robe aside with the rest, and plucking a letter from atop two of the last presents. It was from Gringotts.

'_Strange,'_ Rose thought with a furrowed brow as she opened the sealed envelope and pulled out the letter. _Dear Miss R. Potter, before your parents' untimely deaths we were given the order that if they should die, each year you would be sent two pre-chosen gifts from your parents separate and private vault, from the time you begin your education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This will continue until the every gift within the vault has been given to you. Sincerely, the Head goblin of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. _

She peeled away the red wrapping of one of the Gringotts gifts, to find a rectangular velvet case, and opening it she found a gold bracelet inside with what looked like the Potter family crest set in the center. The note attached to it said that it was from her father. It was the very first thing that was ever left for her from her father, besides the gold in her vault._ To my darling daughter Rose. This Bracelet belonged to my great, great, great grandmother and was passed down throughout our family until finally it was given to me to give to my child if I was so blessed with a daughter. And I was. I was blessed with you. And so I give this bracelet to you so you may always know the family line in which you were born from. With all my love, your father, James Potter. _Rose tried not to cry, and she was proud that the moisture in her eyes was the closest she came to any tears.

The bracelet was beautiful. Lifting it from the cushioning of the box, she smoothed the tip of her fingers over the crest, and turning it over in her hand, her brows raised to see a strange symbol engraved on the back of the crest. It was a triangle with a circle inside it and a vertical line going through both, in the very centre. It wasn't familiar to her at all, and so with no more thought towards it, she placed the bracelet back in the box. She would put it on later.

The next gift was from her mother and was wrapped in lavender paper that she tore through, to discover a large and beautiful silver jewelry box. When she opened it, a sweet tune began that echoed within the common room. In the center was a little witch, her wand raised with little spark shooting from it as she spun in a dance, and a smile painted on her face. The note read Merry Christmas; _My Rosie, this box is for you to fill with all your treasures, be it jewels, or letters from someone precious. I hope that you can fill it to the brim with all the material things that you love. Much better then a shoebox, I think. I hope you like it. With all the love in my heart, your mother. _It was perfect. Putting her new bracelet in the jewelry box, Rose closed it, then piled everything in her arms to bring it back into the dorm. But then she noticed one more present and set her things back down. Picking the parcel up she found it to be very light, and pulling away the last fold something fluid and silvery fell to the floor where it lay, gleaming.

"Who on Earth would send you one of those?" Theodore asked, leaning over the couch with Daphne. Blaise had already returned to the boys dorm.

"What is it?" she asked him, clueless as to why he seemed to be making such a big deal of it.

"That there, is an Invisibility Cloak," Daphne said with awe as they stared at the fabric.

Rose went to pick the cloak up, when she noticed that a note had fallen out as well:

_Your father left this in my possession before he died. It thought it time that it was returned to you. Use it well._

_A very Merry Christmas to you._

There was no signature. Bundling the cloak up with everything else, she ran back to her dorm to change and go down for breakfast. She wanted to show Ron her cloak, but first she set everything on her bed. She first layed the silver box on top of her bedside table, and then hanging her new silk robe on one of the post of her bed, put the journal in the drawer of her nightstand, flute as well, and hid her chocolate so Millicent wouldn't eat it when she was gone. Once done, she then started to change out of her nightclothes.

When she was dressed she took out the bracelet her father had given her from within the jewelry box. _'I'll never take it off,'_ she thought, kissing the gold crest of the Potter Clan.

Wearing her new pink Weasley sweater, she pulled on a pair of stockings, a denim skirt and slipped on a pair of shoes, she had bought in Diagon Alley. Grabbing her Invisibly Cloak and her mokeskin bag, she stuffed the cloak inside and hung it around her neck before running out to meet Ron in front of the Fat Lady's portrait, where she guarded Gryffindor Tower.

"Can you tell Ron Weasley I'm waiting out here?" Rose asked the Fat Lady, who after looking her over, gave a grunt and left her portrait to travel to another inside of the Gyrffindor common room. A moment later Ron stepped out.

"I see my mum made you a Weasley jumper Ron said, pointing at what she was wearing. He hadn't really thought she would wear it, but she seemed quite happy with her present.

"Didn't your mum make you a sweater this year? I thought you told me she makes all of you one." Rose really liked her sweater, it was warm and soft, and made her feel like she was in a gentle hug.

Ron's ears turned as pink as Rose's sweater "It's maroon, I hate maroon," he grumbled as he looked down at his feet, and Rose rolled her eyes and pulled out her cloak from her bag.

"Look what I got! Someone sent it to me for Christmas." She held up the Invisibility Cloak for him to see and Ron gave a gasp as he recognized exactly what it was she was holding.

"That's an Invisibility Cloak! Those are really rare and really valuable. Try it on, just to make sure," he told her, and Rose threw the cloak over her shoulders, the fabric feeling like water woven into material beneath her fingers.

"It is one. Just look at your body!" Ron shouted, and she was glad that no one was out in the stairway to hear him. But when she looked down at herself, she couldn't find her body, and she probably just looked like a floating head.

"I would give anything for one of these. _Anything_. Did it have a card saying who it was from?" he asked and Rose shook her head.

"No, just a note that said to 'use it well'," she told him. Something felt strange, it was different to receive something of her father's from Gringotts, but this gift held no clues to tell her who'd sent it. The portrait started to open and Rose quickly took off the cloak and shoved it back into her bag, just in time as the twins stepped out.

"Merry Christmas, Rose," Fred and George said, giving her the usual kiss on each cheek before they noticed what she was wearing.

"Looks like mum made you a Weasley jumper, too!" they cried, circling her as they looked her over. Both Fred and George were wearing blue sweaters, one with a yellow F and the other with a G.

"Though yours is better than ours," Fred said, tugging on the shoulder of her new sweater.

"It's obvious mum makes more of an effort if you're not family," said George, and Rose gave a soft laugh.

"I'm sure that's not true at all," she said with a smile, feeling the need to defend their mother as the twins turned on their brother.

"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron? Come on, put it on!" George demanded of his younger brother and Ron moaned before pulling his own sweater he had been holding behind his back over his head and poking his arms through the sleeves.

"Aren't they just so lovely and warm?" Fred asked, as he squished his brother's cheeks between his hands and Rose agreed, despite his sarcasm. Her sweater was warm. It was probably her favorite Christmas gift, as odd as it sounded.

"I can't believe she still puts letters on our jumpers. As if we could forget our names. But we're not stupid, we know that we're called Gred and Forge," they told her with matching grins.

Suddenly Percy was sticking his head out from behind the Fat Lady's portrait, a look of disapproval as he eyed them warily before stepping out.

"What's all the racket going on out here?" he asked before George observed that he was carrying his own sweater over his shoulder, which Fred seized immediately.

"P for prefect! Get it on Percy, we're all wearing ours, and even Rose got one," Fred said, holding up the sweater and looking at the Letter P on the front as he pushed it towards his older brother.

"I – don't – want -" Percy started to say thickly, before the twins forced his sweater over his head, knocking his glasses askew as they did so.

"And we're not letting you sit with the other prefects today, either. Christmas is a time for family," George told him and they frog marched Percy down the stairs towards the Great Hall for Christmas dinner, Rose and Ron following suit behind them. And suddenly, as silly and presumptuous of her as it may have been, Rose felt like she was part of their family for that day.

At midday, Rose had never had such a Christmas dinner – she was used to helping make one for the Dursleys, but not eating one with them.

There were a hundred fat roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce – and stacks of wizard's crackers every few feet along the table. The wizard crackers were nothing like the feeble Muggle party favors the Dursley's usually bought, with their little plastic toys and paper hats inside.

Rose pulled a wizard cracker with Fred and it didn't just bang, it blasted like a cannon and engulfed them all in a cloud of blue smoke, while from the inside exploded a real admiral's hat and several live white mice. Rose laughed at the faces of horror everyone had when Hedwig came diving down, snatching up the mice for her own Christmas dinner.

Up at the High Table, Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered bonnet, and was chuckling merrily at a joke Professor Flitwick had just told him. Professor Snape didn't look like he was having as much fun, if fact he looked like he would rather have been down in the dungeons with his head over a cauldron, rather than celebrating the wonderful holiday with the rest of school.

Rose watched Hagrid get redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine, until he finally kissed Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to Rose's astonishment, gave a giggle and blushed, her top hat lopsided.

When Rose finally left the Great Hall, her arms were filled with things from the crackers she had pulled, including a pack of non-explodable, luminous balloons, a Grow-Your-Own-Warts kit and her very own wizard chess set. After returning to the dungeons to put away her things, Rose left again.

Rose spent a very happy evening breaking her new chess set in by losing spectacularly to Ron, and having a furious snowball fight on the grounds with the Weasleys that seemed to last the entire night. Finally, cold, wet and gasping for breath they returned inside the castle to warm themselves in front of a fire.

"You really should try to smile more, you two, or your faces are going to be set forever in a frown," Rose told Blaise and Theodore as she walked into the Great Hall with the Weasleys to enjoy the last meal of the day. They both scowled at her before taking a seat at the Slytherin table. Since it was the holidays, students were allowed to sit wherever they pleased, so Rose sat at the Gryffindor table with the Weasleys.

After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle and Christmas cakes, they were too full and sleepy to do much more. So saying goodbye and goodnight, Rose watched Percy chase Fred and George up to the Gryffindor Tower (them having stolen his prefect badge) and made her way back down the dungeons.

It had been Rose's best Christmas ever. Yet there still seemed to be something nagging at her as she got ready for bed, something lingering in the back of her mind all day. It wasn't until Rose was climbing into her four-poster that she started to remember what it was: her Invisibility Cloak.

Leaning over the bed, she pulled her mokeskin bag out from under it and took out the cloak. It was different from the bracelet her father had left her; this had been _his_. She let the material flow over her hands, smoother than any silk and light as air. Use it well, the note had said.

She just had to try it. Slipping from her bed, she wrapped the cloak around herself. Looking down at her legs, she saw only candlelight and shadows. It was a very strange feeling.

Use it well.

The words repeated within her thoughts and suddenly Rose was wide-awake. Wearing the cloak, all Hogwarts was open to her. The places she could explore, the things she could do without getting seen. She felt absolutely giddy with excitement as she stood there in the dark silence of the room. She could go anywhere she wanted in the castle and Filch would never know.

Creeping out of the dormitory, across the common room and through the path in the wall, she walked out into the dungeons. Standing in the cold, she wondered where to go. With a racing heart, she tried to think. And then it came to her. The Restricted Section in the library! She could sneak in and read for as long as she wanted, as long as it would take to find Nicolas Flamel. Drawing the cloak tight around herself, she set off.

The library was pitch black when she arrived, leaving an eerie feeling in the air. Lighting a lamp to see her way through the maze of shelves and what was on them, Rose made her way to the back where the Restricted s

Section was. It was so strange. The lamp looked as if it was floating along in midair, and the sight sent chills down her spine, though Rose knew that wasn't the case. She could feel her arm supporting it, despite not being able to see it.

A locked door barred off the Restricted Section, and she had to pull out her wand to cast _Alohomora_ to get inside. Opening the door and pushing inside, she held up her lamp to read the titles of the books on the shelves. But they didn't tell her very much. The titles were all in languages Rose couldn't understand, and some had no title at all. One particular book had a stain on it that looked terribly similar to blood. Rose gave a gulp as the hairs on her arms and neck prickled.

For a moment, she thought she might be imaging it, but she thought she heard a faint whispering coming from a few of the books, as if they knew someone was there that shouldn't be. Figuring she had to start somewhere, she set the lamp down carefully on the floor to look along the bottom shelf for anything interesting. A large silver and black volume caught her eye. Rose pulled it out with difficulty because it was very heavy, and balancing it on her knee she opened it. A loud, piercing, blood-curdling shriek split the dead silence of the library – the book was screaming. Rose gasped and snapped it shut again, but it did nothing to end the shrieking as it continued on and on, one high, earsplitting note one after the other. Dropping the book, Rose stumbled back, knocking over her lamp and leaving her in the dark.

Starting to panic, she heard footsteps coming down the corridor and started to stuff the shrieking book back into place, and upon she made a run for it. She stopped when she saw Filch in the doorway; his pale, wild eyes looked straight through her before she ducked beneath his outstretched arm and streaked her way through the corridors.

Perhaps it was because she was so busy running away, or maybe even because it was so dark, but when she stopped she was standing near some armor and didn't recognize where exactly she was in the castle. A suit of armor could be a landmark for a number of places in the castle.

"Professor, I found this in the Restricted Section in the library! Still hot, which means there's a student out of bed!"

Rose felt the blood drain from her face. Wherever it was she had ended up, apparently Filch knew a shortcut, because she could hear his voice getting closer. And to her continued horror it was Snape she heard reply, "The Restricted Section? Then they can't be far, we'll soon catch them."

Standing rooted to the spot, Rose watched as Snape and Filch came around the corner just up ahead. They weren't able to see her of course, but that didn't mean that she couldn't be touched, and they were in a very narrow hallway, making the chances of them running into her very high.

She backed away as slowly as she could, and noticed a door standing ajar to her left. She took the chance to squeeze through it, and it was lucky she was so small or she might not have been able to get through it without making the door move. But the two never noticed; they walked straight past the door.

Leaning against the wall, Rose breathed deeply, waiting and listening to their dying footsteps. That had been a close call, a very close call.

After a few seconds she looked around the room in which she was hiding in. It simply appeared to be an unused classroom. There were the dark shapes of desks and chairs pushed and piled to the sides against the walls, and there was even an upturned wastebasket in the corner. And then she spotted it. A mirror at the back of the room. It was clearly something that didn't belong in the room, much like herself in Slytherin house. The mirror was magnificent, standing almost as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, and standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: _Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyton wohsi._

With her panic now gone, along with the sound of Filch and Snape's footsteps, Rose moved closer to the mirror, wanting to look at herself in the cloak and see no reflection. She stepped in front of it. And she had to clap a hand over her mouth to stifle the scream.

She whirled around, her heart pounding far more rapidly than when the book had started to scream in the library – for it was not only herself she could see in the mirror, but two other people standing right behind her. Only when she looked around she found the room still empty.

Breathing fast, she turned slowly back to the mirror. And there she was, reflected in it, pale and frightened-looking, and there, reflected behind her were two others. Rose looked over her shoulder, but still there was no one else in the room but her that she could see. Or were they invisible too? Was it that the mirror had the magic to reflect both, invisible or not?

She looked into the mirror again. There was a woman and a man standing right behind her, the woman was smiling at her. She reached over and felt the air behind her, and felt nothing but just that, air. If the woman was really there, Rose would have been able to touch her, they were that close. Then Rose realized that the woman and the man only existed within the mirror.

She was a very beautiful woman. And then Rose gave a gasp. The woman looked just like her except older, down to the dark red hair, high cheekbones, and her eyes-

'_They're just like mine,'_ Rose thought, edging a little closer to the glass. They were a bright jade green, exactly the same shape and color as her own but then she noticed the woman was crying; smiling, but still crying at the same time. The man stood beside her, tall and thin with black hair that was very untidy and seemed to stick up at the back.

Rose had stepped so close to the mirror that her nose was now nearly touching her reflection's.

"Mum? Dad?" she whispered. And they just looked at her, smiling. For the first time in her life Rose was looking at her parents, her family. The Potter couple smiled and waved at Rose as she stared hungrily back at the pair. She pressed her hands flat against the glass, as though she could just fall right through and reach them. And there was an ache in her chest – a feeling of half joy, and half a terrible sadness.

She had no idea how long she had stood there, but it wasn't until she heard a distant noise that she was brought back to her senses. She couldn't stay there any longer; she had to find her way back to the dungeons and to bed.

"I'll come back," she whispered as she tore her eyes from her mother's face and hurried from the room back to the Slytherin dormitories.

The next day Rose told Ron of her discovery; "You should come with me tonight. I want to show you the mirror!" she told him and Ron agreed to meet up with her that night.

"I'd like to see your mum and dad," he told her eagerly.

"And I want to meet all of _your_ family, all the Weasleys, you can introduce me to all of your brothers and everyone!" she said to him, sounding even more eager about meeting the other's family.

"Yeah, but you can see them any old time. You just have to come round my house this summer. Anyway, maybe the mirror only shows dead people. Too bad you weren't able to find Flamel in the Restricted Section, though."

Rose had almost completely forgotten about Nicolas Flamel after seeing her parents in the mirror the night before, and the excitement at being able to see them again later.

Flamel just wasn't important anymore. Who cared about what Fluffy the three-headed dog was guarding? And what did it matter if Snape stole it? All that mattered to Rose now were her parents in the mirror.

Later that night, Rose shivered with anticipation beneath her new robe the Malfoys had sent her for Christmas. Rose always wears the robes now because they're so beautiful, and she wanted to show her parents them. For a while Rose had been worried she wouldn't be able to find the room with the mirror again. And with Ron hidden beneath the cloak with her as well, they had to walk much slower to get there. Finally, after many minutes, they found it.

Rose dropped the cloak from around her shoulders and ran over to the mirror, dragging Ron after her. And there they were, her parents beaming at the sight of her.

"Can see them?" she asked him excitedly.

"I only see us," he told her and she sighed as she started to move back so he could move closer.

"Look in it properly. Go on, stand there," she said, pulling him to where she'd been standing, no unable to see her parents, just Ron in his paisley pajamas. She smiled when she saw Ron staring transfixed at the mirror and assumed he was seeing her parents.

"There. You see them, don't you?" she asked, only to be interrupted by his shout of excitement.

"That's me! But I'm older. And I'm Head Boy, wearing the same badge Bill used to. And I'm holding the Quidditch Cup. And bloody hell! I'm Quidditch Captain, too!"

Rose was confused; she leaned her head in and looked into the mirror, not seeing what it was he was talking about at all.

"I look good!" Ron was drawling before he tore his eyes away from the splendid sight, to look excitedly at Rose.

"Rose, do you think this mirror shows the future?" Ron asked her.

Rose looked away forlornly, "How can it? Both my parents are dead," she told him, looking up to gaze back at the mirror with longing for the people she saw within it.

The next night Rose returned to the mirror alone. When she arrived that third night, she found her mother and father smiling at her again. Sinking to the floor she sat staring up at the mirror. There was nothing at all that could stop her from staying there all night with her parents. Nothing at all, except-

"Back again, Rose?"

Rose felt as if her insides had just turned to ice. She turned around on the floor to see Albus Dumbledore sitting on one of the desks by the wall. Rose hadn't even realized she had walked straight past him, so desperate to get to the mirror and see her parents that she hadn't even noticed him.

"I-I didn't you there, sir," she admitted to him, looking sheepish.

"So strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you," Dumbledore said to her, and Rose was relieved to see that he was smiling.

"So," he started to say, slipping off the desk to sit on the floor with Rose, "It seems like hundreds before you, you have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised." He looked down at her, still smiling.

"I didn't know it was called that, sir," she said, looking up to the foreign words along the top and back at him.

"I trust by now that you realize what it does?" he asked her, and Rose looked back into the mirror.

"Well – it shows me my parents," she said.

"And it showed your friend Ron himself as Head Boy," Dumbledore said and Rose's eyes went wide.

"But how did you-?" she started to ask.

"Unlike you, I don't need a cloak to become invisible," said Dumbledore, gently, "Now do you think you can guess what it is that the Mirror of Erised shows us all?" he asked, but Rose shook her head.

"Let me give you a clue. The happiest man on earth would be able to look into the mirror and only see himself, exactly as he is," he told her, and Rose once more looked into the mirror at her parents.

"So then, it shows us what we want, whatever we want?" Rose said slowly after a second of thought.

"Yes... and no," Dumbledore told her quietly, nodding and shaking his head as Rose turned her eyes from the mirror to him.

"It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desires of our hearts. Now you, Rose, who have never known your family, you see them standing beside you. Ronald Weasley, who has always felt overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone, the best of all of them," he explained better to her, before his voice began to turn grave, "But remember this, Rose. This mirror gives us neither knowledge nor truth. Men have wasted away in front of it. Even gone mad."

Suddenly, Rose wondered what would have happened to her if Dumbledore hadn't been there. Would she have come back, returning over and over again until finally she never left?

"That is why tomorrow, it will be moved to a new home. And I must ask you not to go looking for it again. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, I want you to remember that, Rose. Now why don't you get that admirable cloak on and get back to bed?"

Rose nodded and stood up, "Um, Professor Dumbledore? Could I ask you something?" she said, starting to pick up the Invisibility Cloak from the floor.

"Obviously, you have just done so. You may ask me one more thing, however," Dumbledore said, smiling.

"W-what is it that you see when you look in the mirror?" she asked, throwing the cloak over her shoulders, waiting for him to answer before pulling it over her head.

"I? Well, I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks."

Rose just stared at him, hardly believing that was what he really saw.

"One can never have enough socks. Once more, another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. For some reason people insist on giving me books," he told her, and Rose surprised him by smiling.

"Then next Christmas I'll make sure to send you a pair of woolen socks, Professor!"

It was Dumbledore's turn to look surprised before he gave a laugh; "I will look forward to that present under my tree. Now off to bed with you." And he watched as Rose left, making a swift return to the Slytherin Dungeons.

As she crawled back into bed that night, Rose decided that even if Professor Dumbledore hadn't been one hundred percent truthful with his answer, she _had_ asked rather a personal question.

TBC

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**Can not wait to read your reviews. I'm really looking forward to them. **


	22. Chapter 22

**Big thanks to my Beta.**

Nicolas Flamel

Since Dumbledore had convinced her not to go looking for the Mirror of Erised again, Rose's Invisibly Cloak had stayed folded in her mokeskin bag for the rest of the Christmas holidays. But it wasn't that easy. Rose couldn't forget her parents, and what she had seen in the reflection of the mirror. She had even begun to have nightmares. Over and over she dreamed of her parents fading and disappearing in a flash of green light as a high voice cackled with laughter until it was so bad that Tracey would shake her awake in the middle of the night because of her screaming, leaving her gasping for breath drenched in sweat.

When Hermione and Tracey had returned to the school after the holiday, Ron and Rose told them all about the Mirror of Erised at the first chance they got.

"Dumbledore was right, a mirror like that could certainly drive you mad. I know it may be tempting Rose, especially since it's able to show you your parents, but those images were not real; they weren't alive. Promise me you won't go back," Tracey spoke with great concern.

Rose assured her that she wouldn't go searching for the mirror, feeling guilty enough that Tracey had been the one to have to wake her in the night when she was having a fit.

Hermione took a different view on the matter. She was torn between horror at the idea of Rose being out of bed at night, and the disappointment that she wasn't able to find anything on Nicolas Flamel. She didn't really show much sympathy or interest in the news that Rose had gotten to see her parents, or the difficulty she was having after seeing their images in the mirror that now haunted her.

They were nearly ready to give up all hope of ever finding any information on Flamel in a library book. But Rose just could not get rid of that nagging feeling that she had read the name somewhere. Then the term had begun, and with their once again busy schedules they were only able to manage to search through books for ten minutes during breaks. Rose had even less time than Ron and Hermione when Quidditch practice started up again and Flint was working the team even harder than before, especially her. Even when the endless rain had started in replacement of the snow it couldn't dampen his drive to crush all the other teams, and he had her running laps in the light morning rain.

'_And I thought slipping on ice was bad,'_ Rose had thought one morning as she tripped in a mud puddle, the rain sprinkling down on her. Above her in the sky Flint was on his broom, a charm cast over him so he didn't get drenched like she was, yelling at her to get her arse up and continue. She would have hexed him if it hadn't meant he would get her back for it with something worse.

The Weasley twins said Wood wasn't much different, that he was becoming a fanatic after they had lost to the Slytherins. Despite having won the House Cup for seven years in a row, Slytherin had rarely won at Quidditch against Gryffindor until now.

Flint was absolutely giddy when he heard that Snape would be refereeing for their next match against Hufflepuff, believing that Snape would favor his own House Team like he did with his classes. Rose didn't think that was fair, but Flint was not taking the chance either way and was training them extra hard.

Rose was afraid to play again now that Snape would be refereeing. What if he tried to jinx her broom again?

'_I just don't understand, he was friends with my mum, he's the head of my house, why would he want to hurt me?'_ Rose thought to herself, trying to come up with some motive for Professor Snape's attitude and actions concerning her. She just couldn't make sense of it.

When Rose told Ron, Hermione, and even Tracey that she planned to play in the match against Hufflepuff, they were set on convincing her to do otherwise. But no matter how hard they tried, Rose refused to back down. She wasn't a coward. Quidditch was something she had now dedicated herself to, something that made her feel normal. And she was good at it. And knowing that her father had once played, it made her feel closer to him in a way that comforted her. Thinking of her father, her fingers absently ran over the Potter crest of her bracelet. As she had promised on Christmas, she'd had yet to remove it from her wrist since the moment she first put it on.

"I wont back down just because Snape is going to referee. My team might have a reserve Seeker but that isn't enough of an excuse to just quit on them after I only played one game. They'll think I'm scared and that I chickened out and don't want to play anymore. Worse, Flint might just make me play anyway as a Beater if I don't want to be Seeker this game," she told them, just in time as Neveah bunny-hopped into the Great Hall, her legs stuck together with what they all recognized as the Leg-Locker curse.

Everyone in the Great Hall burst into laughter except her and Hermione, who leapt up and performed the counter curse. Neveah's legs sprang apart, and she now walked on trembling legs towards the Gryffindor table. Watching as she nearly tripped over her own feet, Rose was quick to catch Neveah before she fell, help supporting her until she got her balance back.

"What happened?" Hermione asked her, getting up and leading her back out of the Great Hall with Rose and Ron following behind. Tracey had decided to go back to the Slytherin common room to finish up some school work, splitting off from them with a wave, telling Rose that she would see her back in the dorms.

"Malfoy. I ran into him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice the Leg-Locker curse on," Neveah told them, and suddenly Rose was starting to turn red she was so angry. To think he would actually curse a girl without provocation was just horrible.

"You really should go to Professor McGonagall, Neveah. Malfoy shouldn't be able to get away with this," Hermione urged her fellow Gryffindor, but Neveah just shook her head.

"I don't want anymore trouble," she mumbled, looking down at her feet.

"I'm in the same house as him and even I agree; you should turn him in," Rose said, nodding.

"You have got to start standing up for yourself, Neveah! Malfoy is already used to walking all over people, but that still doesn't mean you have to just lie down and make it easier for him to bully you," said Ron.

"You don't have to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that for you," Neveah choked out, looking ready to burst into tears.

Rose felt in her pocket and pulled out the last of the Chocolate Frogs that Hermione had given her for Christmas and a hanky, and gave both to Neveah who still looked ready to cry.

"You're worth twelve Draco's. So what if you're a little different from the others in your house? So am I. But the Sorting Hat put you in Gryffindor, didn't it? So there has to be a brave lioness in you somewhere," Rose told Neveah with a big smile, watching as the girl blew her nose into the hanky. And when the she gave Rose a weak smile of appreciation, Rose gave her a hug, which Hermione joined to show her support. Ron just looked as though he thought that if he touched them right now he would get some kind of disease. The three girls laughed at the face he made as they pulled away from one another.

"I almost forgot. I was able to complete that potion I was working on," Rose continued, talking to Hermione now as she retrieved from her other pocket two shallow round glass jars she had gotten from Fred and George. "It took me forever to get it to solidify and create the jelly texture, and I had to test it on Millicent to make sure it was safe, but I finally perfected my lip salve!" She handed one to Hermione and the other to Neveah.

"You can have mine, Neveah. You can use it to heal chapped and split lips from the cold, it also helps to moisturize them to prevent future chapping," she explained and Hermione opened the lid of hers to stare at the peach colored substance. Taking her finger she pressed it to the substance and once a decent amount of it was on her finger smeared it across her lips.

"Oh, Rose, this is incredible, I can already feel it working," Hermione praised, and Rose smiled. She had worked her butt off to complete it until it was just perfect, documenting every detail and mistake in the journal that her aunt had sent her for Christmas.

"Thanks Rose, you're a really good friend. I'll think I'll just go to bed early tonight… Oh do you want the card from the Chocolate Frog; I heard Hermione say before that you collected them?" Neveah asked, unwrapping the frog and handing Rose the card inside before walking away up the stairs and towards Gryffindor Tower.

Watching Neveah go for a minute Rose then turned to look at the famous wizard card. It was Dumbledore again. She stared at the card, re-reading the information and grinned, before looking up at Hermione and Ron.

'_I knew I'd read his name somewhere. And here it is, right in my hands,'_ Rose thought with a sense of completion as she came across one of the pieces to the puzzle of what Fluffy was hiding.

"I've found him. I've found Flamel! Didn't I tell you that I'd read his name somewhere before? It was on the train coming here. Just listen to this; 'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark Wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragons blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel!'" Rose explained loudly, practically jumping on the spot, the nagging feeling in the back of her head finally leaving, and Hermione wasn't much different, looking almost as excited as she had when they had gotten their marks back for their very first piece of homework.

"Meet me in the library, I'll see you both there in a minute," she told them as she sprinted up the stairs towards Gryffindor tower, Leaving Rose and Ron behind to make their way to the library. It was by chance that they happened to run into Malfoy on the way there.

'_That toe-rag is going to get what's coming to him,'_ Rose thought, taking in how he was laughing with Crabbe and Goyle, not even noticing either Rose or Ron walking towards them, so of course he didn't glimpse Rose pulling out her wand.

"_Locomotor Mortis!_" Rose said, casting the same Leg-Locking curse that Draco had cast on Neveah, and once he was taken care of she did the same to both Crabbe and Goyle. It was her turn to laugh at them like they had been laughing at Neveah since they started school, watching with a great satisfaction together with Ron as the three Slytherin boys jumped around before tripping over one another, before finally falling in a heap.

"Doesn't feel so good to be cursed, does it?" Rose asked, looking down at the three on the floor, each of them glaring up at her. Ron behind her was laughing so hard he nearly looked ready to fall over himself. Sharing a high five, they walked past the trio.

"Serves you gits right, picking on a girl like that," Ron said to them, 'accidentally' kicking one of them in the head as he passed them by with a grin of satisfaction on his own face.

"I'll get you for this, Potter! Just you wait!" Draco yelled after her as he tried to get to his wand, having difficulty squeezing his hands into his robes with Crabbe and Goyle on top of him.

"I'll look forward to it. See you toe-rags in the common room," she told them, giving a wave over her shoulder before disappearing into the library with Ron to wait for Hermione.

After a few minutes of waiting, Hermione arrived carrying an enormous old book in her arms, which she dropped on the table between them, where it landed with a loud thud.

"How could I be so stupid? I never even thought to look in here. I checked this out weeks ago for a bit of light reading!" she whispered excitedly.

"_This_ is light?" Ron asked and Hermione gave him a look.

"I also noticed Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle on the ground in the hall on my way here. I'm guessing it was one of you that cursed them?" she asked, giving them that familiar disapproving look. Ron gave Rose up right away, rather having the actual guilty one being at the end of another one of Hermione's rants about breaking school rules, but she only rolled her eyes. Opening the book, Hermione flickered frantically through the pages, muttering to herself until finally she found what it was that she was looking for.

"Here it is. 'Nicolas Flamel, is the only known maker of the Sorcerers Stone!'" she whispered dramatically, although it didn't quite have the effect she had expected from them.

"The what?" said Rose and Ron, sharing a look of confusion.

"Oh, honestly, don't you two ever read?" Hermione asked them with exasperation.

Rose wasn't sure about Ron, but she read plenty all the time.

"'The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Sorcerer's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The Stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal'," Hermione read to them.

"Immortal?" Ron said, clearly in thought.

"It means you'll never die," Hermione answered.

"I _know_ what it means!" Ron nearly shouted before he was shushed quiet by Rose.

Hermione continued reading, "'There have been many reports of the Sorcerer's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight)'," she finished reading off the last paragraph to them, "That's what Fluffy's guarding, on the third floor. That's what's under the trap door. The Sorcerer's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved from Gringotts!"

"No wonder Snape is after it! _Anyone_ would want it," said Rose.

"And it's no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that _Study of Recent Development in Wizardy_, he's not exactly recent if he's turned six hundred and sixty-five," said Ron.

The next morning in Defense Against the Dark Arts, while copying down the different ways to treat a werewolf bite, Rose sat with Ron and discussed what they would do with the Sorcerer's Stone if they had it. It wasn't until Ron mentioned that he would buy his own Quidditch team that Rose remembered about Snape and their upcoming match with Hufflepuff.

As the match drew nearer and nearer Rose grew even more nervous. The rest of the Slytherin team was as relaxed as could be with their belief in Snape favoring his own house team. Though it was underhanded, there wasn't much that could be done about him refereeing. All Rose knew was that she had to go out there and do her best, maybe even win before Snape could do anything out of favoritism. She wasn't sure if it was just in her head, but it also seemed as though she continually ran into Snape where ever she went. Sometimes she wondered if he was following her. The only times things seemed normal, or not normal, was in Potions. It was as if when they had class together he was a completely different person when it came to her and her potions. He was always giving her more points than necessary for her correct answers and excellent brewing.

"Give it back, Greengrass. That's my lip salve that Rose made me, get your own!" Tracey's complaint suddenly sounded in the middle of class as Daphne stole the lip potion Rose had made, having taken it right out of Tracey's school bag. The two had been partnered together despite Tracey being Rose's usual partner. Today Rose was assigned to work with Hermione.

"But looking over this cauldron is drying out my lips. Just let me borrow it, Davis," Daphne said, grabbing back the vile. Rose decided she wasn't going to get into it and hoped that Professor Snape wouldn't notice and deduct points. But of course, nothing seemed to get past him.

"That's enough from both of you! Ten points from Slytherin," he told them, plucking the lip salve from between their hands and holding it up to his eyes to examine the item the trouble surrounded.

"And what is this, exactly? Must be something astounding for you to be fighting over it in the middle of my class," Snape said menacingly, angry to have disruption over something so trivial.

"It's healing lip salve, Professor, for dried and cracked lips," Tracey told him looking away, not mentioning where it was she had gotten such an potion.

"And where, may I ask, did you come across such a concoction?" he asked, and Daphne smirked with no real malice, just mischief, watching as he inspected the potion closer.

"Potter, made it for her, sir," she answered, giving a glance towards the girl herself who was huddled over her potion stirring intently, not paying any more attention to the fight happening around her and giving all of her concentration to making her potion.

"Potter!"

Rose jumped at her name being called behind her, accidentally knocking into her cauldron and spilling the dizziness draught they were working over herself, and suddenly she found her head spinning.

"Come with me you clumsy girl! Class is dismissed, those who have completed your potions leave them on my desk for grading."

And then to her horror, Snape began to pull her away, giving Rose only enough time to send a scared and pleading look for help to Hermione, Tracey and Ron. But just as they appeared to move forward, a door closed behind her.

"Sit down, Miss Potter, before you knock something else over," he ordered, gesturing to a chair. With wobbly legs Rose managed to finally sit down, with her head in her hands and feeling as if she was about to be sick from all the spinning.

"Why am I not surprised to find you behind the disruption just moments ago in my classroom?" Snape asked as he shuffled through bottles in a cabinet to the side, before finding what it was he was looking for. He held out a clear vile of lavender liquid.

"Drink that and it will take away the dizziness." She just stared at the vile, or the three that her dizziness caused her to see.

"I assure you it's not poison, now drink it so I can discuss this little 'lip salve' of yours," he told her, and reluctantly she took it from his long pale fingers and took a sip. "Miss Greengrass said that this is your creation," said Snape, holding up the vile of the salve she had given to Tracey.

"Yes, sir. I made it because my lips began to chap when it was cold, and since I had no Muggle lip balm. I finally had the time during the holiday to brew it," she explained, her vision settling after having drunk the potion he had handed her, glad to know that indeed it hadn't been poison.

"The texture is a bit runny. You should have allowed the potion to cool for at least a day before putting it to sit at room temperature so that the solidifier could properly take effect," he said, dabbing a finger in and smearing it between his fingers, expecting the solution carefully and Rose frowned at the criticism but expected no less from a potion master such as himself. "But besides these minor faults, it is a very well made salve. You clearly have your mother's talent for potions."

Snapping her gaze to him, Rose was startled at the mention of her mother. So he _had_ known her, (not that Rose had believed what her mother had written in her journal was a lie) and to hear him mention her without prompting from Rose first was a shock.

"Instead of wasting your time on making such trifling cosmetics for your fellow female classmates, your talents could best be served in creating more productive potions that could save lives, and better the wizarding world," he told her, handing back the lip salve, and then the man told her that if she ever planned on concocting another potion, she was to come to him for supervision.

"I also heard that you cursed Mr. Malfoy," he said, his voice suddenly more strict and cold as he looked down on her with disapproving, and almost angry eyes. Rose's back went straight with defiance as she set her green eyes in a stubborn glare.

"He started it, sir. He cursed Neveah first, just to amuse himself. It wasn't right for him to get away with it!" she told him, sticking her chin out boldly even as he towered over her.

"Be that as it may, fifty points will be deducted for your use of magic against another student along with a week of nightly detentions starting after dinner. And if Miss Longbottom has any problems with Mr. Malfoy, then she is perfectly capable of taking her troubles to her Head of House – or another Professor – to deal with it. I will not have you take things into your own hands to punish him," he scolded her.

"But, sir-"

He silenced her objection with a raise of his hand, "Enough! You are dismissed, Miss Potter," he told her, gesturing to the door with a cold stare.

Not happy at all with her situation, Rose glared back at him, before she finally gave up trying to argue and stood to leave. If he was upset with her now, then she could only imagine how he would take it out on her when he refereed. But the vibe she had just gotten from him wasn't one of an evil bat that hated her, but more of a parent who was upset with their child. It made viewing him as a bad man trying to steal the Sorcerer's Stone very hard whenever she thought about it.

Rose almost knew for a fact that when Hermione, Ron, and Tracey wished her luck outside the locker rooms the following afternoon, that they were wondering whether or not they would ever see her alive again. It didn't bring her much comfort. She rolled her eyes and hurried them along when she saw Draco start to come their way; it wouldn't be good if he and Ron started a brawl. Tracey, who had also noticed the other Slytherin, pushed the group forward towards the stands.

"Hello, Potter. Think you can keep yourself on your broom long enough to catch the Snitch this time?" Draco grinned as he stepped up, a bitter shine in his eyes as he stood in front of her. Rose smirked, at the mere thought of Draco and his toe-rag goons, recalling how easily caught off guard they had been to allow her to single handedly curse them.

"Green with envy are we, Draco?" she asked him smugly.

Draco's grin was wiped from his face with that comment, for he so badly wanted to be on the team, only to have had her, his own housemate, and a girl become their team Seeker before him.

"Oh, don't look at me that way. Besides, I'm sure you'll have your chance next year to try and out do me for the spot of Seeker. But until then, I hope you wish me luck," said Rose to him before turning and making her way into the girls locker room to change. Pulling on her Quidditch robes, she then picked up her Nimbus Two Thousand and joined the rest of her house team.

Rose wondered whether the Gryffindor team would have threatened her had she not stayed on her broom if she had been in their house. And some of these threats were pretty nasty and more than once she heard someone call her a 'half-blood' with a look almost like disgust. She was pretty sure that if she didn't win the match against Hufflepuff, she wouldn't have to worry about Snape killing her, because her own team and house would themselves. And what was a half blood?

"Well look at that, even the great Dumbledore has come to watch. And it's not even a Gryffindor match," she heard Flint saying at the front in a sarcastic tone, and Rose pushed through the lot of them to peek a look outside, up and into the stands. He was right. There was no way Rose could ever mistake the gleam of that silver beard. She could have almost laughed out loud with relief. She was safe. Snape might have acted civil with her before when it had come to her potion making, but she still had no doubt that he was a bad person who was after the Sorcerer's Stone and wanted to secretly kill her. Snape would never dare to try anything now with Dumbledore watching.

Marching onto the field, they found an angry and irritated appearing Snape waiting for them. And then they were off in the air.

Raising herself higher above everyone, Rose circled the game, like a hawk in search of that tell tale golden flash of the Snitch. And then she saw it. Rose was gone in a spectacular dive, earning gasps and cheers after her dive in the last game. Streaking towards the ground like a bullet her eyes were set on the Snitch, not even noticing when Snape turned on his own broom just in time for her to shoot past him in a streak of emerald and scarlet, just missing him by mere inches. The next second Rose was pulling out of her dive, her arm raised in triumph, the Snitch clasped within her hand as she held it for everyone to see.

The stands erupted in the loudest cheers she had ever heard; it just had to have been a record, after all, no one could ever remember if the Golden Snitch had ever been caught so quickly before.

Rose jumped from her broom to the grassy, mowed field. She had done it – the game was over, having only lasted five minutes. Slytherins and those few friendly Gryffindors came spilling onto the field, patting her on the back, ruffling her hair, lifting her up until finally she turned when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Being put down from on top of the shoulders of Marcus Flint and another one of the boys on the team, she looked up into Dumbledore's smiling face.

"Well done, my girl. It is nice to see you haven't been brooding about the mirror… been keeping yourself busy… very excellent," said Dumbledore, quietly so only Rose could hear him.

No one noticed Snape's grin of smug pride at his house's win, or the look of approval in his eyes as he watched his team celebrate their victory.

Some time later, Rose left the locker room alone after finishing changing from her Quidditch Robes to her school ones, intending to put away her Nimbus Two Thousand in the broom shed before returning inside the castle. She was so happy that she was skipping. When she was playing Quidditch with the others it was the only time the other Slytherins didn't hate her. And this time she had done something to make everyone proud, that left people seeing her as more than just a famous name now. She took a deep breath and the air had never smelled or tasted so sweet with victory before. Walking over the grass, she just relived the last hour in her head over and over again.

Rose had reached the shed. She leaned back against the wooden door and let out a happy sigh, looking up at Hogwarts, with its windows glowing red in the setting sun. It was beautiful.

So captured in the wonderful event of their win, Rose almost forgot about Snape. That is, until she noticed the hooded figure, coming swiftly down the front steps of the castle. Clearly not wanting to be seen, the figure walked as fast as possible towards the forbidden forest. And Rose's victory faded from her mind as she watched, the happy feelings leaving her. She would recognize that prowling walk anywhere. It was Snape for sure, sneaking into the forest while everyone was at dinner. A dinner, in which afterwards she would start her two week routine of scrubbing cauldrons with Professor Snape as detention for cursing Draco.

Jumping back on her Nimbus Two Thousand, Rose took off after him. She glided silently over the castle, watching as Snape entered the forest at a run. Rose followed.

The trees were thick and for a while Rose believe she had lost Snape, as she flew in circles, going lower, and lower, brushing the top of branches of trees until finally she heard voices. She glided toward the source and landed noiselessly in a beech tree that toward over the scene.

She climbed down carefully, so she had a better view of what was happening, her broom held tightly in her hand as she tried to see through the leaves. She pulled back a branch and stared down below in a shadowy clearing, where there stood Snape, but he wasn't alone. Quirrell was there as well. Rose couldn't see the expression on his face to tell what he was feeling but she could hear that his stuttering was worse than ever as she strained to catch what they were saying to one another.

"…D-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet me here of all p-places, Severus…" Quirrell stuttered out.

"I just though that we could keep this private. After all, students are not supposed to know about the Sorcerer's Stone," Snape said in an icy voice. And Rose leaned forward, trying to hear what it was Quirrell was mumbling before Snape interrupted him, "Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?" he asked him.

Rose's stomach churned because despite what she had witnessed in Snape's classroom office, despite his favoritism of her, this was only more proof he really was evil. She frowned because, deep down, she had hoped she was wrong.

"B-b-but Severus, I-" he tried to argue but was once more overpowered in presence and was cut off by Snape's glacier temperature tone.

"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," Snape said to him, stepping closer to the other Professor.

"I-I don't know what you-"

It seemed to Rose that Quirrell was never going to get a complete sentence out, as the conversation almost turned one sided with Snape's continuous interruptions.

"You know perfectly well what I mean," he practically growled.

It was strange for Rose, to see Professor Snape in such a way after reading of the shy, outcast boy that was her mother's best friend. He was completely different from the description her mum gave of him as a child. And she felt an ache in her chest in wonder of what her mother would think if she saw the man now; if she knew that he was trying to steal the Sorcerer's Stone.

Suddenly an owl hooted loudly and Rose was so startled she nearly fell right out of the tree. Thankfully, she steadied herself just in time to hear half of what Snape was saying.

"-your little bit of hocus-pocus. I'm waiting," he was saying to Quirrell.

"P-please, I d-d-don't-" Quirrell stuttered before Snape cut in.

"Very well, then. We'll have another little chat soon. When you've decided where your loyalties lie." Then he threw his cloak over his head and strode out of the clearing and from the forest. It was getting dark, but Rose could still see Quirrell standing there as if he had been petrified, and suddenly Rose's scar burned.

When Rose got to the Great Hall she was greeted by happy Slytherins and those loyal Gryffindors that congratulated her on her win with pride and dignity. But for those who still thought ill of her she was tripped numerous times by other students, called horrid names whispered loud enough so she would hear them.

"Look at that traitor celebrating, walking around with a smile on her face. How could she be a Slytherin? She's practicaly a blood traitor to all those who were killed by You-Know-Who. She disgusts me," she heard a Hufflepuff say to another as she passed, before suddenly a foot was stuck out by a Ravenclaw and she was falling to the ground and unpleasant laughter invaded her ears as everyone further ahead were to busy celebrating to notice. But with as much dignity as she could muster she stood back up, brushed her self off and kept on forward.

"Oh Rose, where have you been?" Hermione squeaked as she pulled the other into a congratulatory hug as she reached them.

"Congrats, mate. It's too bad Gryffindor isn't in the lead anymore, though." Ron shrugged, thumping her on the back like she was one of the boys.

"Never mind that. Quick, let's find an empty room, I have something you're going to want to hear!" she told them before having them follow her out of the Great Hall. When they found an empty room they made sure that Peeves wasn't around before shutting the door behind them. Now in private, Rose told them all about what she'd overheard between Snape and Quirrell in the forbidden forest.

"We were right. It _is_ the Sorcerer's Stone, and now Snape is trying to force Quirrell to help him. He even asked him if he knew how to get past Fluffy, and something else about Quirrell's 'hocus-pocus'. I bet you that Fluffy isn't the only thing guarding the stone. There'll be other things like spells and enchantments. Quirrell must have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through," Rose told them.

"So you mean to say, that the Stone is only safe as long as Professor Quirrell stands up to Snape," said Hermione in absolute alarm.

"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Ron, hopelessly.

"Well at least there is one good thing that's come out of all this," Hermione said to them and Rose and Ron stared at her as if she had lost her mind.

"And what is that, exactly?" Ron asked her.

"As long as Rose has detention with Snape, he won't be able to do much until her two weeks are over," Hermione explained.

"Yeah, as long as he doesn't try and kill her during detention," he said.

'_That's a reassurance_,' thought Rose, gloomily.

TBC

**With out my beta and my readers I dont think I would have ever gotten this for. I have officialy finished the first year and am working on the second. My beta is just going over the chapters first before I post them.  
I really hope you guys like this chapter and review kindly.  
Thanks for reading.**


	23. Chapter 23

The Forbidden Forest.

'_We are in so much trouble,' _Rose thought. She had just finished her last detention, too.

McGonagall had taken them to her study on the first floor where they stood in front of the professor's desk. And in the silence before the storm, Rose was thinking of every excuse, alibi and wild cover-up story her eleven year old brain could think of to try and get herself out of this situation.

They had been cornered. She blamed herself entirely for forgetting the Cloak.

"_Nothing_, I repeat, nothing, gives a student the right to walk around the school at night," McGonagall told them from behind her desk. The candle she had been holding was now upon her desk to light the room. "Especially you, Miss Potter. I'm sure Professor Snape will be thrilled to hear of your late night adventure just after releasing you from your week long detention." Rose cringed.

'_Thrilled is right. Maybe he'll make me test students' potions myself. Watch me grow boils and fall unconscious from sleeping droughts.' _Rose let her imagination run wild. She had been lucky last time washing cauldrons and the classroom, but she doubted she would have such luck this time around.

"As punishment for your actions, fifty points will be taken," McGonagall told them and they all stared up at her, devastated.

"Fifty?" Ron cried in outrage, earning him a glare from Professor McGonagall.

"Each."

And their jaws dropped. Loosing her temper, Rose turned to Draco who was at fault for this.

"You do realize that means she's taking fifty points from our house too, don't you? Or have you forgotten already that I'm a Slytherin and not a Gryffindor?" Rose asked him, more than upset by his traitorous actions. Now the egg was on his face as his eyes widened with the realization of what he had just done by snitching her out with her Gryffindor pals.

"_Miss Potter_!" McGongall snapped at her, and Rose returned her attention back to their professor. "And to ensure that it doesn't happen again, all four of you will receive detention."

Realizing the added number to the group, Draco stood up straight from where he was, leaning at the side of the room. "Excuse me professor, perhaps I heard you wrong. But I thought I just heard you say 'The four of you'?" he asked, stepping towards her desk nervously.

"No, you heard me correctly. As honorable as your intentions were, you too were out of bed after hours. You'll be joining your classmates in detention."

Rose smirked.

"Now get back to bed, all of you. I'll send you notice when I decide upon an appropriate detention."

As they were told, the four hurried to return to their respected dormitories; Ron and Hermione going up to Gryffindor tower and Rose and Draco down to the Slytherin dungeons.

"This is all your fault you know," Rose hissed at Draco as they made their way through the cold damp hall of the dungeons towards their dormitory.

"I didn't want to get _you_ in trouble, just Weaslebee and his girlfriend. If you didn't act like such a Gryffindor all the time maybe I would have remembered we were in the same house!" Draco retorted just as hotly.

"I just don't understand what your problem is with Ron and Hermione. I thought after the troll incident we could've all been friends. What have they ever done to you to make you hate them?" She stopped, grabbing his shoulder to pull him back and wait with her just before the entrance to the Slytherin common room.

"He's a blood traitor and she's a mudblood. Father and Mother always told me they're the worst, that blood traitors are a disgrace and that mudbloods shouldn't be allowed to attend Hogwarts or even practice magic," he told her, repeating what his father had said to him proudly.

Although Rose didn't understand what a blood traitor was or a mudblood, she still had the sense to be disgusted.

"I heard that you decided to take a midnight stroll around the castle, Mr. Malfoy, Miss Potter," Snape growled as he stepped from the shadows, his jaw set tight as he glared down at the two young Slytherins. "Get inside, Mr. Malfoy I will speak with you on this matter later. I wish to have a word or two with Miss Potter first," he told the boy as he stared, infuriated, down at the red-haired girl.

"Yes, Professor." Without argument Draco spoke the password and entered the dormitory through the narrow passage way inside.

"I have never been more disappointed in a Slytherin in the entirety of my teaching. Not only did you lie to my face, but you intentionally broke school rules just after you had finished your detention with me. Imagine how that makes me look as a teacher. Or did you not learn your lesson the first time?"

Rose was trembling with shame as she listened.

Watching Rose shiver in her robes, Snape wasn't sure if it was due to fear or the draft. But as a teacher he couldn't let up, as a student she need to know her place and that she wasn't going to be able to get away with such things even if he favored his own house in class. "That it is all for the time being. Get inside and to bed. But I promise you if this happens again and I am the one to catch you, I can promise your punishment will be far worse than scrubbing cauldrons and preparing potion ingredients," he warned her darkly before stepping aside and allowing her to enter the dorm. Once the wall closed behind Rose, Snape sighed heavily and rubbed his temple. He had been wrong. She really was her father's child; getting into trouble and causing mischief. With a shake of his head, Snape made his way back to his own sleeping quarters for the night.

Stepping into the Slytherin common room Rose didn't see Draco anywhere in sight and figured he must have gone straight to bed.

'_Tonight was horrible,_' Rose thought as she made her way to the room she shared with Daphne, Tracey, Pansy and Millicent. At this time, she knew all the other girls would be sound asleep. '_Not only did our house lose fifty points but Ron and Hermione lost a hundred total for Gryffindor.'_ She could only imagine how the rest of their house would react in the morning when they saw that their hourglass was missing a hundred points. It would only get worse when they realize who it was that lost them those points. No doubt her own house would be less than pleased with her. They had been in first place. And now they would be in second after Ravenclaw with Gryffindor behind them in third.

At this point all Rose wanted to do was crawl into bed, curl in a tiny ball and wallow in her self-loathing. Blaming herself for getting her friends in trouble, and also blaming Draco – who she would now be ignoring more so than ever. That's how it would be.

But, first bed, and then ignoring Draco in the morning.

Except she couldn't sleep. She kept tossing and turning, she even tried sleeping with her mother's doll but it didn't calm her down like it usually would have done. The guilt of her friends having lost a hundred points in one night was eating her alive.

She dreaded when the dawn would come, and she was sure that Ron and Hermione must have been feeling the same.

Later that morning, as the houses all made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast, the Gryffindors all stopped in front of the giant hourglasses that recorded the house points, thinking that some mistake must have been made.

How could they have lost a hundred points since yesterday?

They had been so close. Slytherin had been in first place, Gryffindor close behind them with Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff in the third and fourth. Now suddenly it was Ravenclaw in the lead, Syltherin falling into second and Gryffindor behind them in third.

Then word began to spread of what had happened to lose Gryffindor their points, and Ron and Hermione were suddenly being isolated by their own house. They had been _so_ close, if only they had earned enough points by the end of the term and then they would have won. For _once_ Gryffindor would have come out as the champions of the House Cup.

It was a bit late to help repair the damage, but Rose promised not to drag Hermione and Ron into anymore spying, or to meddle any more in the situation with the Stone and Professor Snape.

'_It's the least I can do after getting them into trouble,' _Rose thought as she stared at the upset Gryffindors before the hourglasses that morning, before passing them to enter the Hall.

Slytherin wasn't as half as upset with her as Gryffindor was with Ron and Hermione, seeing as they were still in second and with a little sucking up to Snape and with Rose on the Quidditch team they were sure to earn those fifty points back in no time. That didn't mean she wasn't free from heated glares and nasty remarks for losing them those points.

As punishment for the previous night, Flint was working her double hard in her training with not a single break, leaving her bone-tired and collapsing from exhaustion at the end of each session.

"I _told _you not to get involved with this any further; to mind own your own business and now we've lost fifty points!" Tracey hissed at her as they studied together one afternoon. The exams weren't that far off and it gave Rose a grateful distraction from the mystery of the Stone and why exactly Snape might want it. If he was, indeed, the one after it.

"This is what you get for suspecting your own head of house of wrong doings," Tracey continued, her eyes focused on her parchment as her quill scratched angrily across it, as they sat at the round table in the common room.

With the help of Tracey, Rose, Ron and Hermione kept to themselves. The four worked late into the night, trying to remember the ingredients needed for some complicated potion or the other, learning charms and spells until they could remember them by heart as well as having to remember the dates of magical discoveries and goblin rebellions.

Then, just about a week before the exams were too start, Rose's new promise not to interfere in anything that didn't concern her was put to the test. She was just walking back from the library after looking up information on a particular transfiguration spell she was having trouble learning, when she heard a whimpering sound from a classroom just up ahead of her.

'_Pleas tell me Draco isn't tormenting Neveah again,' _she thought angrily, quickening her steps to get to the room. She could just imagine him locking her inside a classroom or cupboard, and the thought of being locked away brought back the terrible memories of the Dursleys. Getting closer, she faltered at the voice she could hear more clearly now. It was definitely not Draco or Neveah. Instead, she recognized the weak voice as Quirrell's.

"No-no please, not again-" It sounded as if he was being threatened. Rose automatically assumed that he must have been with Snape – from the previous accouters she had witnessed between the two. She moved closer.

"All right – all right-" she heard Quirrell sob and suddenly her scar was starting to burn with pain. Then, in the next second Quirrell came running out of the classroom, fixing his turban. The man was looking paler then usual and on the brink of tears as he made his exit. Stopping to adjust his turban better, he gave a jump when he noticed her standing in his peripheral vision.

"Oh, M-M-Miss P-Potter. You s-s-startled me," he told her, out of breath as he grasped his chest over his heart, and took a deep breath to calm himself.

"I'm sorry Professor, I didn't mean to scare you, I was just coming from the library to look for Professor Snape. I wanted to ask him a question about the end of year exams," she lied, trying to bait him into details she had sworn off any interest in until now.

"I-I-I c-cant say I-I've seen h-h-him today, pr-pr-prior t-to meals," he replied and she nodded her understanding while her eyes narrowed slightly with suspicion.

'_Then who was he talking to?' _Rose wondered.

"Are you alright, Professor? You look a bit sickly, and it won't do to have our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher ill just before exams!" she joked lightly with him as he attempted to escape from her, stopping him in mid turn to humor her conversation.

"I-I-I'm v-very well, M-Miss P-P-Potter. I th-thank you f-for y-your concern, but I m-must be off you s-see." His patience with her seemed to be wearing thin.

"Of course Professor, I'm sorry for keeping you," she said before watching him rush off down the hall away from her without a parting note.

Once she could no longer hear his footsteps, Rose peered inside the classroom. It was empty, all for a door that stood slightly ajar. She had made her way inside the classroom and halfway to the door to look beyond it when she remembered her resolution not to meddle.

'_I cant, I promised myself not to stick my nose in places where it doesn't belong anymore,' _Rose berated herself.

But it was such a hard temptation to resist.

Something just wasn't right about this. There didn't seem to be any hint besides the door that led her to believe that anyone else had been in the room with Quirrell, and the man himself had told her that he hadn't seen Snape since their last meal together.

'_Could he have been speaking to himself? He does have his loony moments. I wouldn't be surprised if the poor man did talk to himself,' _Rose thought, not entirely convinced that Snape had been threatening Quirrell this time unless the other man was covering for him out of fear.

If Snape had been in here with Quirrell then he would have made his exit through the door inside the class, and walking with a skip in his step because from what she had been able to hear, it seemed that Quirrell had given in at last.

Doing the only thing she could think of she ran back to the library where Hermione was testing Ron on Astronomy. Finding them where she'd left them, Rose told them what she had heard.

"That's it then. Snape's done it!" Ron said, throwing his arms up in defeat.

"He's finally gotten it out of Quirrell; how to break his Anti-Dark force spell-"

"We don't know that for sure, like I said I didn't see Snape anywhere around, or hear him in the room talking with Quirrell. Maybe the man's finally just lost it," Rose said. They couldn't jump to conclusions, not like before, now that they couldn't risk it getting themselves into any more **(two separate words here)** trouble.

"Even if Snape did get it out of Quirrell, there's still Fluffy guarding it," Hermione reminded Ron.

"He probably found someway to get past him without asking Hagrid. Look at all theses books around us! I wouldn't doubt that there isn't at least _one_ that tells you how to get past a three-headed dog," Ron said, looking around them at the thousands of books that made up the library. "What do we do now, Rose?" he asked, turning to her, that familiar light of adventure beginning to kindle again within his eyes.

"Nothing. We don't have enough proof to go to any of the other teachers or Dumbledore. They would think we were making this all up. Not to mention we're not supposed to _know_ about the Stone, or Fluffy."

Hermione looked convinced but not so much Ron.

"But if we only did a bit more poking around-" Ron attempted to persuade her, but Rose wasn't going to hear it.

"No. We've done enough poking around as it is to get us into trouble. Let's just focus on our exams," she told him flatly before pulling a map of Jupiter out in front of her and starting to learn the names of its moons.

'_Putting this behind us in the best thing. We keep sticking our noses in places we're likely to end up losing them,' _she thought.

The following morning, notes were delivered to Rose, Draco, Hermione and Ron at their tables during breakfast. They all said the same thing:

_Your Detention will take place at eleven o' clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall, _

_Professor M. McGonagall_

'_I almost forgot all about our detention,' _Rose thought as she read over her letter. Meanwhile, Draco wouldn't stop complaining where he sat, and didn't for the rest of the day, about how he had to waste his precious time serving detention over a little thing like being out after curfew.

At eleven o' clock Rose said goodbye to Tracey for the night and left with Draco for the Entrance Hall where they found Ron and Hermione already waiting with Filch.

"Follow me," Filch said to them, lighting a lamp and leading them outside. "A pity they let the old punishments die. Was a time detention found you hanging from your wrists from the ceiling for a few days. I still keep the chains in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed again," he told them, leaving them all horror-struck before giving them a dastardly leer that gave them all shivers. "God, I miss the screaming."

The route they were taken was familiar; the moon was bright above them with a few clouds in the dark sky. Soon enough they could see Hagrid's hut up ahead, dimly lit by a small fire.

"You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do inside the dark forest," Filch told them nastily as Hagrid came walking out of his hut just as they arrived. Rose's heart flew, believing that any detention with Hagrid couldn't be too bad.

Rose hadn't been able to see or speak to Hagrid since they were caught out past curfew. She didn't even know what had become of Norbert after Draco had snitched on, not only them, but Hagrid, as well.

"A sorry lot, this one is, Hagrid. I think the blond one may just as well faint." Filch poked fun at Draco's squirming from where he was, next to Rose. The boy looked ready to bolt back to the castle any second now. Except Hagrid didn't think it was funny and gave a loud sniffle.

"Good God, man, you're not _still_ on about that bloody dragon, are ya?" Filch asked Hagrid exasperatedly.

"Norbert's gone. Dumbledore sent him off to Romania to live in a colony," Hagrid said, giving another sniff as he set up a very intimidating looking crossbow.

"Well that's good, isn't it? He's with his own kind," said Hermione, not understanding the logic in him being upset.

"But what if he don't like Romania? What if the other dragons are mean to him? He's only a baby after all." Out of the corner of her eye Rose saw Filch role his eyes.

"For God's sake, pull yourself together. You're going into the Forest, after all. Got to have your wits about you!" Filch snapped at Hagrid.

"The Forest? I thought that was a _joke_. We can't go in there. Students aren't allowed. And there are… werewolves!" said Draco, and just as he did an eerie howl came from the forest.

Filch only gave him a wide-eyed, patronizing stare. "That's your problem isn't it, now? You should have thought about them werewolves before you got in trouble," he told them, looking out into the forest before back at Hagrid. "I'll be back at dawn… For what's left of them, that is," he said nastily with a horribly creepy chuckle, before walking off back to the castle, his lamp bobbing in the darkness of the night.

"I'm not going in that forest," Draco said, turning to Hagrid, and Rose grinned at the panic she heard in his voice.

"You will if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts. Yeh broke the rules an' now yeh got ter pay for it," Hagrid said in a no-nonsense voice as he stared the boy down fiercely.

"But this is _servant's_ work, it's not for students to do. I thought we would be copying down lines or the like. If my father knew I was doing this, he'd-" Draco complained and Rose wanted to cuff him round the back of the head for talking to Hagrid the way he was.

"Would yeh rather have me call Filch back? I'm sure he would love to hang you by your thumbs in the dungeons."

Draco gulped.

"And if yeh think yer father'd rather have you expelled, go on back to the castle an pack yer bags. Go on!"

Draco didn't move, but he looked like he wanted to as he glared furiously up at Hagrid.

"Draco, don't be stubborn. If it will make you feel better I'll hold your hand going into the forest," she smirked, and Ron and Hermione were starting to see why she was put into Slytherin as she made fun of their classmate whose glare was now turned on Rose.

"That's enough you two. This is dangerous stuff we'll be doin' now, so I need you all to listen carefully to everything I say. I don't want no one takin' any risk," said Hagrid to them as he handed Ron and Draco each a lit lantern. "Now follow me." He then led them to the edge of the forest, and holding his lamp up, pointed out a narrow, winding path that disappeared into the black trees of the Forbidden Forest. A light breeze came from the forest and blew back their hair as they looked into the foggy darkness that awaited them.

"Let's go." And then they were walking into the forest, onto the path. The chill became like the breath of a monster lurking behind them the deeper they entered, until Hagrid stopped to point out a small, silver puddle.

"Hagrid, what is that?" Rose asked with hesitant curiosity.

"It's what we're here for. That's unicorn blood. I found one dead Wednesday and this is the second time in a week. This one's been hurt badly by summat. It's our job to find the poor beast, and put it out of its misery if we have to," Hagrid told them with a mournful sigh.

"And what if what's been hurting the unicorns finds us?" Draco asked, trying and failing to keep the fear out of his voice.

"There's nothing' in the forest that'll hurt yeh if you're with me or Fang," Hagrid told him reassuringly. "Right, now we're gonna split into two groups an' follow the trail in differn' directions. Ron and Hermione, you're with me." Ron gave a whimper of acceptance.

"And Rose, you'll go with Malfoy." Draco looked less then pleased to hear that they would be splitting up. It wasn't as if Rose was thrilled to be paired up with him but this was detention, after all, it was _meant_ to be punishment, and what could be worse then spending time alone with Draco?

"Fine. Then I get Fang," Draco said quickly before they were sent off on their own, eyeing the canine's long teeth and grinning as if he had the best of the situation.

"Fine. But just so yeh know, he's a bloody coward." After Hagrid said this, Fang gave a long, whimpering groan, as though he were saying that he didn't want to be in the forest with them, either. "So me, Ron an' Hermione'll go one way and you two an' Fang'll go another," he instructed them. "Now remember, if any of us find the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks. Now get out yer wands and practice." The four children pulled out their wands and each cast the spell up into the air.

"Good. Now anyone that gets in trouble, yeh'll send up red sparks and the rest of us will come an' find yeh right away. Now let's go." Not wasting anytime, Hagrid split up from Draco and Rose with Hermione and Ron, while Rose went in search with Draco in the opposite direction.

The forest was dark and silent, and to add to the eeriness – and just to scare Draco – Rose began to sing a song she once heard about a man who was hung from a tree. She used to sing at the Dursleys while she was cleaning and cooking, loving the way it would get Dudley to leave the room because it always scared him and gave him nightmares when she sung it before they were sent to bed. It seemed to fit the surroundings perfectly at the moment.

_Are you, Are you_

_Coming to the tree_

_Where they strung up a man they say murdered three_

_Strange things did happen here_

_No stranger would it seem_

_If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree_

_Are you, Are you_

_Coming to the tree_

_Where the dead man called out for his love to flee_

_Strange things did happen here_

_No stranger would it seem_

_If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree_

_Are you, Are you_

_Coming to the tree_

_Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free_

_Strange things did happen here_

_No stranger would it seem_

_If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree._

_Are you, Are you_

_Coming to the tree_

_Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me._

_Strange things did happen here,_

_No stranger would it seem,_

_If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree_

"Stop that singing right now!" Draco yelled at her, looking paler then ever as she finished the song, his complaints stopping her from singing it again. She grinned, happy knowing that the song had done its job of frightening her fellow Slytherin. And though she didn't sing the lyrics, she continued to hum the tune of the song as they continued their walk through the dense forest.

Rose suddenly stopped her humming – much to Draco's relief – as she suddenly got a terrible feeling they were being watched. As they kept on searching for the unicorn, Rose would look over her shoulder nervously every few seconds to check if they were being followed.

'_Something's wrong here, something's out there,' _Rose thought fearfully as she looked around them, scared.

They had just turned a bend in their path when they heard the snap of twigs from the side. In fright, both of them reached for the other's hand to hold at the same time, and continued on into the heart of the forest. For a half an hour they journeyed deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path was nearly impossible to follow through the thicket of trees.

Looking down at the forest floor, Rose frowned at the splashes of unicorn blood on the roots of a tree, as if the poor creature had been thrashing around in agony, and there was even some of its hair. And knowing that unicorn hair could be used as an ingredient in potions, Rose retracted her hand from Draco's and bent down, stuffing some of the strands in her pocket to bring back for Professor Snape.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked, speaking to her as if she were crazy.

"Unicorn hair can be used as a potion ingredient, maybe Professor Snape will give us house points for bringing some back," she explained, startled when suddenly Draco was kneeling on the ground beside her holding the lantern above them, plucking as many hairs from the grounds as possible and putting them in the pockets of his robe. When they thought they both had all there were, both stood back up.

"Look, Draco," Rose said, pointing to the trail of silver blood on the ground that seemed to lead to a clearing just through the tangled branches of an ancient oak, where they saw something white and gleaming lying on the ground up ahead.

'_Could it be the unicorn_?'

Inching closer, Rose gave a strangled gasp. It was the unicorn, and it was dead. Rose had never seen anything as beautiful or sad, and the sight alone of the deceased creature made her eyes water. Its long, slender legs were twisted and pointed at odd angles where it had fallen, its pearly-white mane spread on the dark bed of leaves beneath it.

Rose was going to take a step closer, when a slithering sound made her freeze where she stood, a burning sensation taking over her scar. Looking, they saw a bush at the edge of the clearing shake. And then out of the darkness a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like a stalking monster.

Rose, Draco and Fang stood breathless and transfixed as the figure reached the unicorn, bending down and lowering its head over the wound in the beautiful animal's side. And began to drink its blood.

Rose tried to grab for Draco, to get him to slowly back up with her and away from the danger of the beast. But the moment her fingertips brushed his hand he jumped and let out a terrible scream, bolting from the clearing without her, with Fang hot behind him.

'_Those bloody cowards!' _Rose thought, watching them run off and abandon her to the figure's wrath.

Now they were alone, the hooded figure raised it head at the scream, looking right at Rose with unicorn blood staining its front. She watched in horror as it got to its feet and came slithering towards her.

The pain from her scar was like nothing she had ever felt before. Nearly crippled, Rose staggered back away from the figure until she was tripped by a root, falling on her back, the cloaked figure continuing its approach.

Behind her, Rose could hear the sound of hooves galloping until something large jumped clear over her head to land before her. Sitting up, she saw that it was a centaur, and watched as it rose on its hind legs and used its front to kick at the figure, sending it running off.

When it turned to her, Rose saw that the centaur was young, with white-blonde hair that reminded her of Draco's, with eyes like pale sapphires and a palomino body.

"Rose Potter, my name in Firenze and you must leave. You are known to many creatures here. The forest is not safe at this time, especially for you," said the centaur, bending his human half down and lifting Rose to her feet.

"Yes, but what _was_ that thing you just saved me from?" Rose asked, the fear from the encounter still with her as the pain in from her scar dulled to a simple ache.

"A monstrous creature. It is a terrible crime to slay a unicorn. To drink the blood of a unicorn will keep you alive even if you are an inch from death. But at a terrible price. For you have slain something so pure, that the moment the blood touches your lips you will have a half-life, a cursed life," Firenze explained to her.

"But who would choose such a life, or be so desperate? If you're going to be cursed for the rest of your life, wouldn't death be the better choice?" Rose asked him, looking around Firenze at the terrible sight of the unicorn.

"It is, unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else – something that will bring you back to full strength and power – something that will mean you can never die. Miss Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at his very moment?" he asked her.

"The Sorcerer's Stone... with it can be made the elixir of life! But who would want to-"

"Can you truly think of no one who has waited so many years to return to power, who has clung to life just awaiting their chance?" he asked her, giving Rose the time for the answer to come to her.

'_Could it really be possible?' _Rose thought, not sure of anything in this world that was still such a mystery to her.

"Do you mean to say that that _thing, _that killed the unicorn, that was drinking its blood, that was Voldemort?" Rose asked. It felt as if an iron fist had clenched over her heart.

And over the rustling trees and whistling breeze, Rose seemed to hear the words Hagrid had spoke to her in the tea and cake shop in Diagon Alley, "_Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die."_

Suddenly Rose felt like she couldn't breathe, her head was spinning and she felt the need to cry as a severe threat to her peaceful, magical life was born. There was fear, and anger, for the _thing _that had killed her parents raging inside of her.

"Rose! Rose, are you all right?" Hermione called, running towards the other young witch, Hagrid and the rest behind her.

"I'm fine," said Rose, not actually believing her own words, but proud that she said them so steadily.

"Hello there, Firenze. I see you've met our young Miss Potter. Are you all right, Rose?" Hagrid asked after greeting the centaur. Rose just nodded her head.

"Rose Potter, this is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid passed them to go and examine the unicorn. "You're safe now. Good luck." With those words, he turned and cantered back off into the depths of the forest, leaving Rose shivering from what she had just learned behind him.

When they returned to the castle, after being escorted back personally by Hagrid, they gathered in the intersection of the stairs where they would normally split off to go to their dorms.

Checking around the corners first, Rose began to tell them what had happened in the forest after Draco had run off. She was still visibly shaken from the encounter and Draco tried his best at comfort by putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I just can't believe it. You really mean to tell us you think what we saw drinking the unicorn's blood was You-Know-Who, and he's out there, right now, in the forest?" Draco asked, his voice shaking with denial.

"Yes. But he's weak. Living off the unicorns. We had it all wrong before. If it really is Snape – which I'm still not sure it is – then he doesn't want the Stone for himself. He wants it for Voldemort," she explained, and Ron hissed at her in a terrified whisper to stop saying that name, every time it was said he would get a shiver up his spine. "With the Elixir of Life from the Stone, Voldemort will be strong again. He'll come back, and this time he'll finish me off," she told them, rubbing her arms as she suddenly felt cold.

"I think this is all rubbish, but if it makes you feel better, everyone knows that Dumbledore's the only one around that You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. As long as he's around, no one can touch you." With that said, Draco didn't bother saying goodbye to the two Gryffindors and started pulling Rose down into the dungeons.

Once inside the dormitory, Draco and Rose said not a word to each other and went straight to their beds. They would hand in the unicorn hairs tomorrow. Rose went to her shared chamber with the other girls, still feeling cold and terrified from the events in the forest.

Changing into something warm for the night, Rose washed her face, brushed her teeth and hair as if she was on autopilot, and when it came to the final step of getting into her own bed she got into Tracey's next to hers instead.

"Mmm, Rose what are-?" Tracey started to ask as she woke to find her friend crawling under the blankets of her bed.

"The forest was really scary. Can I sleep with you tonight?" Rose asked, batting her sleepy green eyes.

"Fine," sighed Tracey, scooting back to give Rose room under the covers.

Smiling, Rose tucked herself beneath the covers and close to Tracey, knowing that she wouldn't have any nightmares tonight with her friend protecting her even in sleep beside her.

TBC

* * *

**Yes, the wonderful song Rose sang is from the Hunger Games series.  
**

**And a big thanks to my wonderful beta who I love so much.  
**


	24. Chapter 24

**Alright. So my Beta hasnt gotten back to me with this chapter and it's ****been awhile since ****I heard from her so I decided that I would just post the new chapters and carefully go over it myself. Hopefully I can find the small things that matter and fix them so you can enjoy the story. If I ever hear back from my beta with the chapter I sent her the I'll replace this chapter with the beta'ed one. So for now I think I made those who actually like my story wait long enough.**

* * *

The Forbidden Forest.

'_We are in so much trouble.' _Rose thought. She had just gotten finished with her last detention too.

McGonagall had taken them to her study on the first floor where they stood in front of the professors desk. And in the moments of silence before the thunder of the storm. Rose was thinking of every excuses, alibi and wild cover-up story her eleven year old brain could think of to try and get her out of this situation.

Rose couldn't seem to find anyway out of this. They had been cornered. She blamed herself for forgetting the Cloak.

"_Nothing_, I repeat nothing gives a student the right to walk around the school at night." She told them from behind her desk. The candle she once held now placed upon her desk to light the room before them.

"Especially you, Miss. Potter. I'm sure Professor Snape will be thrilled to hear of your late night adventure just after releasing you from your week long detention." Rose cringed.

'_Thrilled is right. Maybe he'll make me test students potions myself. Watch me grow boils and fall unconscious from sleeping droughts.' _Rose let her imagination run wild. She had been lucky last time with just washing cauldrens and the classroom, but she doubted she would have such luck this time around.

"As punishment for your actions, fifty points will be taken." She told them and they all stared up at her with devastation.

"Fifty?" Ron cried outraged, earning him a glare from Professor McGonagall.

"Each." And there jaws dropped. Loosing her temper Rose turned to Draco who was at fault for this.

"You do realize that means she's taking fifty points from our house too, don't you? Or have you forgotten already that I'm a Slytherin and not a Gryffindor?" Rose asked him, more then miffed by his traitorous actions. Now the egg was on his face as his eyes widened with the realization of what he had just done by snitching her out with the rest of her Gryffindor pals.

"_Miss. Potter_!" McGongall snapped at her, and Rose returned her attention back to their professor.

"And to ensure that it doesn't happen again, all four of you will receive detention." Realizing the added number to the group, Draco stood straight from where he was leaning to the side of the room.

"Excuse me professor, perhaps I heard you wrong. But I thought I just heard you say 'The four of you'" he asked, stepping towards her desk nervously.

"No, you heard me correctly. As honorable as your intentions were, you too were out of bed after hours. You'll be joining your classmates in detention." Rose smirked as Draco got his just disserts for snitching on them.

"Now get back to bed all of you. I'll send notice to all of you when I decide an appropriate detention." and as they were told the four hurried to return to their respected dormitories. Ron and Hermione going up to the Gryffindor tower and Rose and Draco down to the Slytherin dungeons.

"This is all your fault you know." Rose hissed at Draco as they made their way through the cold damp hall of the dungeons towards their dormitory.

"I didn't want to get you in trouble, just Weaslebee and his girlfriend. If you didn't act like such a Gryffindor all the time maybe I would have remembered we were in the same house." Draco retorted just as hotly.

"I just don't understand what your problem is with Ron and Hermione. I thought after the troll incident we could've all been friends. What have they ever done to you to make you hate them?" she stopped to yell at him, grabbing his shoulder to pull him back and stop with her just before the wall to allow them entrance to the Dormitory.

"He's a blood traitor and she's a mudblood. Father and mother always told me their kind is the worst. That blood traitors are a disgrace and that mud bloods shouldn't even be allowed to attend Hogwarts or practice magic." He told her, repeating what his father told him proudly. Though Rose didn't understand what a blood traitor was or a mudblood she still had the sense to be disgusted.

"I heard that you decided to take a midnight stroll around the castle, Mr. Malfoy, Miss. Potter." Snape growled as he stepped from the shadows, his jaw set tight as he glared down at the two young Slytherin's.

"Get inside, Mr. Malfoy I will speak to you on this matter later. I wish to have a word or two with Miss. Potter first before she follows you." He told the boy as he stared infuriated, down at the red haired girl.

"Yes, Professor." with out argument he spoke the password and entered the dormitory through the narrow passage way inside.

"I have never been more disappointed in a Slytherin in my entirety of teaching. Not only did you lie to my face, but you intentionally broke school rules just after you had finished your detention with me. Imagine how that makes me look as a professor. Or did you not learn your lesson the first time?" Rose was trembling with shame as she listened to Professor Snape who watched Rose shiver in her robe's, unsure sure if it was due to fear or the draft. But as a professor he couldn't let up, as a student she need to know her place and that she wasn't going to be able to get away with such things even if he favored his own house in class.

"That it is all for the time being. Get inside and to bed. But I promise you if this so happens again and I am the one to catch you I can promise your punishment will be far worse then scrubbing cauldrons and preparing potion ingredients." he warned her darkly before stepping aside and allowing her to enter the dorm.

Once the wall close behind Rose Snape sighed heavily and rubbed his temple. He was wrong. She really was her father schild, getting into trouble and causing mischief. With a shake of his head, Snape made his way back to his own sleeping quarters for the night.

* * *

Stepping into the Slytherin common room Rose didn't see Draco anywhere in sight and figured he must have went straight to bed.

'_Tonight was horrible_' Rose thought as she made her way to the room she shared with Daphne, Tracey, Pansy, and Millicent. At this time all the girls she be sound asleep.

'_Not only did our house lose fifty points but Ron and Hermione lost a hundred total for Gryffindor.'_ she could only imagine how the rest of their house would react in the morning when they saw that their hours glass was missing a hundred points. It would only be worse when they realize who it was that lost them those points. No doubt her own house will be less then please with her. They had been in first place. And now they would be in second after Ravenclaw with Gryffindor behind them in third.

At this point all Rose wanted to do was crawl in bed, curl in a tiny ball and wallow in her self loathing. Blaming herself for getting her friends in trouble, and also blaming Draco who she would now be ignoring more so than ever. So that's what she would do.

First bed, and than ignoring Draco in the morning.

Except she couldn't sleep. She kept tossing and turning, even tried sleeping with her mothers doll but it didn't calm her down like it usually did. The guilt of her friends having lost a hundred points in one night was eating her alive.

She dreaded the dawn to come and she was sure Ron and Hermione felt the same.

That next morning as the houses all made there way to the Great Hall to attend breakfast, The Gryffindor all stopped in front of the giant hourglasses that recorded the house points thinking that some mistake must have been made. How could they have lost a hundred points since yesterday?

They were had been so close. Slytherin had been in first place, Gryffindor close behind them with Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff in the third and fourth. Now suddenly it was Ravenclaw in the lead, Syltherin falling into second and Gryffindor behind them in third.

Then word started to spread of what happened to lose Gryffindor their points and Ron and Hermione were suddenly being isolated by their own house. They were so close, if only they could earn enough points by the end of the term and they could have won. For once Gryffindor would have come out the champions of the House Cup over the rest of the houses.

It was a bit late to help repair the damage but rose promised not to drag Hermione and Ron into anymore spying, and to drop anymore meddling into the situation with the Stone and Professor Snape.

'_It's the least I can do after getting them in to trouble.' _Rose thought as she stared at the upset Gryffindor's before the hour glasses that morning before passing them to enter the hall.

Slytherin wasn't as half as upset with her as Gryffindor was with Ron and Hermione, seeing as they were still in second and with a little sucking up to Snape and with Rose on the quidditch team they were sure to earn those fifty points back in no time. That didn't mean she wasn't free from heated glares and nasty remarks for losing fifty points.

As punishment for losing their house fifty points Flint was working her double hard in her training with not a single break, leaving her bone tired and collapsing from exhaustion at the end of each session.

"I _told _you not to get involved with this any further, to mind your own business and now we've lost fifty points." Tracey hissed at her as they studied together one afternoon. The exams weren't that far off and it gave Rose a grateful distraction from the mystery of the Stone and why exactly Snape might want it. If he indeed was the one after it.

"This is what you get for suspecting your own head of house of wrong doing's." Tracey mumbled to her, her eyes set focused on her parchment as her quill scratched angrily across it as they sat at the round table in the common room writing down notes.

With the help of Tracey, Rose, Ron and Hermione kept to themselves. The four working late into the night, trying to remember the ingredients needed for some complicated potion or the other, learning charms and spells until they could remember them by heart. Not to mention having to remember the dates of magical discoveries and goblin rebellions….

Then, just about a week before the exams were too start, Rose's new promise not to interfere in anything that didn't concern her was put to the test. She was just walking back from the library after looking up information on a particular transfiguration spell she was having trouble learning, when she heard a whimpering sound from a classroom just up ahead of her.

'_Pleas tell me Draco isn't tormenting Neveah again.' _she thought angrily, quickening her steps to get to the room. She could just imagine him locking her inside a class room or cupboard and the thought of being locked away brought back the terrible memories of the Dursley's.

Getting closer the room she faltered at the voice she heard. It was definitely not Draco or Neveah. Instead she recognized the weak voice as Quirrell's.

"No-no-please, not again-" It sounded as if he was being threatened. She automatically assumed that he must be with Snape from the previous accouters she had witnessed between the two. Rose moved closer.

"All right-all right-" She heard Quirrell sob and suddenly her scar was starting to burn with pain. Then in the next second Quirrell came running out of the room fixing his turban. The man was looking paler then usual and on the brink of tears as he made his exit from the classroom. Stopping to adjust his turban better he gave a jump when he noticed her standing in her peripheral vision.

"Oh, M-m-miss. P-Potter. You s-s-startled me." He told her out of breath as he grasped his chest over his heart, and took a deep breath to calm himself and control his rapidly beating heart."I'm sorry, Professor, I didn't mean to scare you I was just coming from the library to look for Professor Snape. I wanted to ask him a question about the end of year exams." She lied, trying to bate him into details she had swore off any interest of until now.

"I-I-I c-cant say I-I've seen h-h-him today, pr-pr-prior t-to meals." he explained and she nodded her understanding while her eyes narrowed slightly with suspicion.

'_Then who had he been talking to?' _Rose questioned.

"Are you alright, Professor? You look a bit sickly, and it wont do to have our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor ill just before exams." she joked lightly with him as he attempted to escape from her, stopping him in mid turn to humor her conversation.

"I-I-I'm v-very well, M-miss. P-P-Potter. I th-thank you f-for y-your concern, but I m-must be off you s-see." his patience with her seemed to be growing thin with her."Of course Professor, I'm sorry for keeping you." she apologized before watching him rush off down the hall away from her without a parting note.

Once she could no longer hear his footsteps Rose peered inside the classroom. It was empty all for a door that stood slightly ajar. She had made her way inside the classroom and halfway to the door to look beyond it when she remembered her resolution not to meddle.

'_I cant, I promised myself not to stick my nose in places where it doesn't belong anymore.' _Rose berated herself. But it was such a hard temptation to resist.

Something just wasn't right about this. There didn't seem to be any hint besides the door that lead her to believe that anyone else had been in the room with Quirrell, and the man himself had told her that he hadn't seen Snape since their last meal together.

'_Could he have been speaking to himself? He does have his loony moments. I wouldn't be surprised if the poor man did talk to himself' _Rose thought, not entirely convinced that Snape had been threatening Quirrell this time unless he was covering for him out of fear.

If Snape had been in here though with Quirrell then he would have made his exit through the door inside the class, and walking with a skip in his step because from what she had been able to hear it seemed that Quirrell had given in at last.

Doing the only thing she could think of she ran back to the library where Hermione was testing Ron on Astronomy. Finding them at the same table they had been at before Rose told them what she had heard.

"That's it then. Snape's done it!" Ron said, throwing his arms us in defeat.

"He's finally gotten out of Quirrell how to break his Anti-Dark force spell-"

"We don't know that for sure, Like I said I didn't see Snape anywhere around, or heard him in the room talking with Quirrell. Maybe the man finally just lost it." Rose defended. They couldn't jump to conclusion's, not like before now that they couldn't risk it getting them in anymore trouble.

"Even if Snape did get it out of Quirrell, there is still Fluffy guarding it," Hermione reminded Ron as well.

"He probably found someway to get past him without asking Hagrid. Look at all theses books around us! I wouldn't doubt there isn't at least one that tells you how to get past a three-headed dog." he told them looking around them at the thousands of books that made up the library.

"What do we do now, Rose?" Ron asked turning to her, that familiar light of adventure a kindle again within his eyes again.

"Nothing. We don't have enough proof to go to any of the other professors or Dumbledore. They would all think we were making this all up. Not to mention we're not even supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy." Hermione looked convince but not so much Ron.

"But if we only did a bit more poking around-" Ron attempted to persuade her, but Rose wasn't going to hear it.

"No. We've done enough poking around as it is to get us into trouble. Lets just focus on our exams." She told him flatly before pulling a map of Jupiter in front of her and started to learn the name of it's moons.

'_Putting this behind us in the best thing. We keep sticking our noses in places we're likely to end up losing them' _Rose thought as she studied her map.

The following morning , notes were delivered to Rose, Draco, Hermione and Ron at their tables during breakfast. They all said the same thing:

**Your Detention will take place at eleven o' clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall.**

_Professor M. McGonagall_

'_I almost forgot all about our detention' _Rose thought as she read over the letter. Meanwhile Draco wouldn't stop complaining for the rest of the day about how he had to waist his precious time serving detention over a little thing like being out after curfew.

At eleven o' clock Rose said goodbye to Tracey for the night and left with Draco to the Entrance hall where she found Ron and Hermione already waiting with Filch.

"Follow me," Filch said to them, lighting a lamp and leading them outside.

"A pity they let the old punishments die. Was a time detention found you hanging from your wrists from the ceiling for a few days. I still keep the chains in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed again." He told them with a dastardly leer that gave them all shivers.

"God, I miss the screaming." He gave a melancholy sigh, that left the four staring at each other with horror.

They were taken was familiar, the moon was bright above them with a few clouds in the dark sky. Soon enough they could see Hagrid's hut up ahead dimly lit by a small fire.

"You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do inside the Dark Forest." Filch told them darkly as Hagrid came walking out of his hut just in time as they arrived. Rose heart flew, believing that any detention with Hagrid couldn't be too bad.

Rose hadn't been able to see or speak to Hagrid since they were caught out past curfew. She didn't even know what had become of Norbert after Draco had snitched on not only them but Hagrid as well.

"A sorry lot this one is, Hagrid. I think the blond one may just as well faint." Filch poked fun of Draco's squirming next to Rose. The boy looked ready to bolt back to the castle any second now. Except Hagrid didn't think it was funny and gave a loud sniffle.

"Good god, man, your not still on about that bloody dragon, are ya?" Filch asked Hagrid exasperatedly.

"Norbert's gone. Dumbledore sent him off to Romania to live in a colony." Hagrid said giving another sniff as he set up a very intimidating looking crossbow.

"Well that's good, isn't it? He's with his own kind." Hermione asked, not understanding the logic in being upset.

"But what if he don't like Romania? What if the other dragons are mean to him? He's only a baby after all." Out of the corner of her eye Rose saw Filch role his eyes.

"For god's sake, pull yourself together. Your going into the forest after all. Got to have your wits about you." Filch snapped at Hagrid.

"The Forest? I thought that was a joke. We cant go in there. Students aren't allowed. And there are…Werewolves." And just as he said a eerie howl came from the forest. Filch only gave him a wide eyed patronizing stare.

"That's your problem isn't it, now? You should have thought about them werewolves before you got in trouble." He told them looking out into the forest before back to Hagrid.

"I'll be back at dawn….For what's left of them, that is." he said nastily with a horribly creepy chuckle before walking off back to the castle, his lamp bobbing in the darkness of the night.

"I'm not going in that forest," Draco said turning to Hagrid, and Rose grinned at the panic she heard in his voice.

"You will if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts. Yeh broke the rules an' now yeh got ter pay for it." Hagrid said in a no-nonsense voice as he stared the boy down fiercely.

"But this is servant work, it's not for students to do. I thought we would be copying down lines or the like. If my father knew I was doing this, he'd-" Draco complained and Rose wanted to cuff him in the back of the head for talking to Hagrid the way he was.

"Would yeh rather have me call Filch back? I'm sure he would love to hang you by your thumbs in the dungeons." Draco gulped.

"And if yeh think yer father rather have you expelled go on back to the castle an pack yer bags. Go on!" Draco didn't move, but he looked like he wanted to as he glared furiously up at Hagrid.

"Draco, don't be stubborn. If it will make you feel better I'll hold your hand going into The Forest" Rose smirked, and Ron and Hermione were starting to see why she was put into Slytherin as she made fun of their classmate who's glare was now turned on Rose.

"That's enough you two. This is dangerous stuff we'll be doin' now, so I need you all to listen carefully to everything I say. An' I don't want no one takin' any risk." said Hagrid to them as he handed Ron and Draco each a lit lantern.

"Now follow me." he then lead them to the edge of the forest, and holding his lamp up pointed out a narrow, winding path that disappeared into the black tree's of the Forbidden Forest. A light breeze cam from the forest and blew back their hair as they looked into the foggy darkness that awaited them.

"Lets go." And then they were walking into the forest, onto the path. The chill became like the breath of a monster lurking behind them the deeper they entered until Hagrid stopped to point out a small silver puddle.

"Hagrid, what is that?" Rose asked with hesitant curiosity.

"It's what we're here for. That's unicorn blood. I found one dead Wednesday and this is the second time in a week . This ones been hurt badly by summat. It's our job to find the poor beast, and put ter at of it's misery if we have to." Hagrid told them with a mournful sigh.

"And what if what's been hurting the unicorns finds us?" Draco asked, trying and failing to keep the fear out of his voice.

"There's nothing' in the forest that'll hurt yeh if your with me or Fang," Hagrid told him reassuringly.

"Right now we're gonna split into two groups an' follow the trail in differn' directions. Ron and Hermione your with me." Ron gave a whimper of an acceptance.

"And, Rose, you'll go with Malfoy." Draco looked less then pleased to here that they would be splitting up. It wasn't as if rose was thrilled to be paired up with him but this was detention and after all it was meant to be punishment and what could be worse then spending time alone with Draco.

"Fine. The I get Fang." Draco said quickly before they were sent off on their own, eyeing the canines long teeth and grinning as if he had the .

"Fine. But just so yeh know, he's a bloody coward." saying that fang gave a long whimpering groan, as if he was saying that he didn't want to be in the forest either, with the lot of them.

"So me, Ron an' Hermione'll go one way and you two an' fang'll go another." He told them.

"Now, remember if any of us find the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks. Now get out yer wands and practice."The four children pulled out their wands and cast the spell up into the air.

"Good. Now anyone get's in trouble, yeh'll send up red sparks and the rest of us will come an' find yeh right away. Now lets go" Not waisting anytime, Hagrid split up from Draco and Rose with Hermione and Ron while Rose went in search with Draco in the opposite direction.

The forest was dark and silent and to add to the eeriness-and just to scare Draco- Rose began to sing a song she once heard about a man who was hanged from a tree. She used to sing at the Dursley's while she was cleaning and cooking, loving the way it would get Dudley to leave the room because it always scared him and gave him nightmares when she sung it before they were sent to bed. It seemed to fit the surroundings perfectly at the moment.

_Are you, Are you  
Coming to the tree  
Where they strung up a man they say murdered three  
Strange things did happen here  
No stranger would it be  
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree_

_Are you, Are you  
Coming to the tree  
Where the dead man called out for his love to flee  
Strange things did happen here  
No stranger would it be_  
_If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree_

_Are you, Are you  
Coming to the tree  
Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free  
Strange things did happen here_  
_No stranger would it be  
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.  
_

_Are you, Are you  
Coming to the tree  
Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me.  
Strange things did happen here,  
No stranger would it be'**, '**If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree._

"Stop that singing right now!" Draco yelled at her, looking paler then ever as she finished the song, his complaints stopping her from singing it again. She grinned happy knowing that the song had done it's job of frightening her fellow Slytherin. And though she didn't sing the lyrics she continued to hum the tune of the song as they continued their walk through the dense forest.

Rose suddenly stopped her humming-much to Draco's relief-as she suddenly got a terrible feeling they were being watched. As they kept on searching for the unicorn Rose would look over her shoulder nervously every few seconds to check if they were being followed.

'_Somethings wrong here, something's out there' _Rose thought fearfully as she looked around her scared.

They had just turned a bend in their path when they heard the snap of twigs from the side. In fright both of them reached for each others hand to hold at the same time, and continued on into the heart of the forest. And for a half and hour they journeyed deeper, and deeper into the forest until the path was nearly impossible to follow through the thicket of tree's.

Looking down at the forest floor Rose frowned at the splashes of unicorn blood on the roots of a tree, as it the poor creature had thrashing around in agony, their was even some of it's hair. And knowing that Unicorn hair could be used as an ingredient in potions Rose retracted her hand from Draco's and bent down, stuffing some of the strands in her pocket to bring back for Professor Snape.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked, speaking to her as if she were crazy.

"Unicorn hair can be used as a potion ingredient, maybe Professor Snape will give us house points for bringing some back" She explained, startled when suddenly Draco was kneeling on the ground beside her holding the lantern above them, plucking as many hairs from the grounds as possible and putting them in the pockets of his robe. When he thought he had all there were both stood back up.

"Look, Draco." Rose said, pointing to the trail of silver blood on the ground that seem to lead to a clearing just through the tangled branches of an ancient oak, where they saw something white and gleaming lying on the ground up ahead.

'_Could it be the unicorn_?' Inching closer Rose gave a strangled gasp. It was the unicorn, and it was dead. Rose had never seen anything as beautiful or sad, and the sight alone of the deceased creature made her eyes water. It's long slender legs were twisted and pointed at odd angles where it had fallen, it's pearly white mane spread on the dark bed of leaves beneath it.

Rose was going to take a step closer when a slithering sound made her freeze where she stood, a burning sensation taking over her scar. Looking, they saw a bush on the edge of the clearing shake. And then out of the darkness a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like a stalking monster.

Rose, Draco and Fang stood breathless and transfixed as the figure reached the unicorn, bending down and lowering it's head over the wound in the beautiful animals side. and began to drink it's blood.

Rose tried to grab for Draco, to get him to slowly back up with her and away from the danger of this beast drinking from the unicorn. But the moment her fingertips brushed his hand he jumped and let out a terrible scream, bolting from the clearing without her with Fang hot behind him.

'_Those bloody cowards!' _Rose thought watching them run off and abandon her to the figure's wrath.

Now alone the hooded figure raised it head at the scream, looking right at Rose with unicorn blood staining it's front. She watched in horror as it got to it's feet and came slithering towards her.

The pain from her scar was like nothing she had ever felt before. The pain nearly crippling, Rose staggered back away from the figure until she was tripped by a root, falling on her back, the cloak figure continuing it's approach.

Behind her Rose could hear the sound of hooves, galloping until something large jumped clear over her head to land before her. Sittign up she saw that it was a centaur, watching as it rose on it's hind legs and used it's front to kick at the figure, sending it running off.

Turning to her, Rose saw that the centaur was young- but still much older then her of course-with white-blonde hair that reminded her of Draco's, with a eyes like pale sapphires and a palomino body.

"Rose Potter, my name in Firenze and you must leave. You are known to many creatures here. The forest is not safe at this time, especially for you." bending it's human half down and lifting Rose to her feet.

"Yes, but what _was_ that thing you just saved me from?" Rose asked, the fear from the encounter still with her at the pain in from her scar dulled to a simple ache.

"A monstrous creature. It is a terrible crime to slay a unicorn. To drink the blood of a unicorn will keep you alive even if you are an inch from death. But at a terrible price. For you have slain something so pure, that the moment the blood touches your lips you will have a half-life, a cursed life." Firenze explained to her.

"But who would possibly choose such a life, or to be so desperate. If your going to be cursed for the rest of your life, wouldn't death be the better choice?" Rose asked him, looking around Firenze at the terrible sight of the unicorn.

"It is, unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else-something that will bring you back to full strength and power- something that will mean you can never die."

"Miss. Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at his very moment?" He asked her.

"The Sorcerers Stone, with it can be made the elixer of life! But who would want to-"

"Can you truly think of no one who has waited so many years to return to power, who has clung to life just awaiting their chance?" he asked her, giving Rose the time for the answer to come to her.

'_Could it really be possible?' _Rose thought, not sure of anything in this world that was still such a mystery to her.

"Do you mean to say that that _thing, _that killed the unicorn, that was drinking it's blood, that was Voldemort?" Rose asked. It felt as if an iron fist had clenched her heart.

"And over the rustling tree's and winstling breeze, Rose seemed to hear the words Hagrid had spoke to her in the tea and cake shop in Diagon Alley.

"_Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die."_

Suddenly Rose felt like she couldn't breath, her head was spinning and she felt the need to cry as a severe threat to her peaceful, magical life was born. A fear and anger for the _thing _that had killed her parents raging inside of her.

"Rose! Rose, are you all right?" Hermione called, running towards the other young witch, hagrid and the rest behind her.

"I'm fine," said Rose, not actually believing her own words, but proud that she said them so steadily.

"Hello there, Firenze. I see you've met our young Miss. Potter. Are you all right, Rose?" Hagrid asked after greeting the centaur. Rose just nodded her head.

"Rose Potter, this is where I leave you." Firenze murmered as hagrid passed them to go examine the unicorn.

"Your safe now. Good luck" With those words, he turned and cantered back off int the depths of the forest, leaving Rose shivering from what she ahd just learned behind him.

When they got back to the castle after being escorted personally back by Hagrid, they gathered in the intersection of the stairs where they would normally split off to go their dorms.

Checking around the corners first, Rose began to tell them what happened in the forest after Draco had run off. She was still visibly shaken from the encounter and Draco tried his best at comfort by putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I just cant believe it. You really mean to tell us you think what we saw drinking the unicorn's blood was You-Know-Who. And he's out their right now in the forest?" Draco asked, his voice shaking with denial.

"Yes. But's he's weak. Living off the unicorns. We had it all wrong before. If it really is Snape-which im still not sure it is- then he doesn't want the stone for himself. He wants it for Voldemort" She explained and Ron hissed at her is a terrified whisper to stop saying that name, every time it was said he would get a shiver up his spine.

"With the Elixir of Life from the stone, Voldemort will be strong again. He'll come back, and this time he'll finish me off" She told them, rubbing her arms as she suddenly felt cold.

"I think this is all rubbish, but if it makes you feel better everyone knows that Dumbledore's the only one around, You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. As long as he's around, no one can touch you." With that said, Draco didn't bother saying goodbye to the two Gryffindors and started pulling Rose down into the dungeons.

Once inside the dormitory. Draco and Rose said not a word to each other and went straight to their beds. They would hand in the unicorn hairs tomorrow. Splitting up Rose went to her shared chamber with the other girls, still feeling cold and terrified from the events in the forest.

Changing into something warm for the night, Rose washed her face, brushed her teeth and hair as if she was on autopilot, and when it came to the final step of getting into her own bed she crawled into Tracey's next to hers instead.

"Mmm, Rose what are-?" Tracey started to ask as she woke to find her friend crawling under the blankets of her bed.

"The forest was really scary. Can I sleep with you tonight?" Rose asked, batting her sleepy green eyes.

"Fine," sighed Tracey, scooting back to give Rose room under the covers.

Smiling Rose tucked herself beneath the covers and close to Tracey, knowing that she wouldn't have any nightmares tonight with her friend protecting her even in sleep beside her.

TBC

* * *

**Yes, the wonderful song Rose sang is from the Hunger Games series.**

**So um, I really hope people review kindly and politely. I except creative and helpful criticism and would prefer if no one else told me to go fuck myself like one of that last two reviews did, all from the same person. I don't deserve that and it was just really mean and uncalled for.  
**

**I hope you liked the chapter.  
**


	25. Chapter 25

**I'm sad that there are so many people who have reviewed for the first few chapters, respectable criticism which I can deal with. But what makes me sad is that they wont ever no the difference I made in this story that they wanted to see, or that they just did not enjoy the story enough to continue.  
**

**But for those who have continued to read this for, I want to thank you. it's was a rough start, I didn't have a beta and now It's seems i don't again as I haven't heard from her for almost a month. My Beta was a great and kind person, and I considered her my friend. Because of her I got this far, and the quality of this fic improved. I hope she'll get back to me again and we can continue the series.**

**Every reader, and every person who has given a positive or a review that I could learn from, thank you. You guys are fantastic and have made such a difference in me and this story. I didn't expect to receive such harsh criticism's in the Harry Potter category of fan-fiction, but not I am prepared for it. I still don't aprove of spamming me with hate, or going beyond to disrespect and insult me, but like I said. I'm prepared for it now, but it still hurts a little.**

**Again, thank you so much. We have one more chapter to go until we reach the end of the first year and you can expect to see a second year posted after this one. I hope those who have read this will read the next. And I promise you there are going to be a differences and surprises that will be explained so you can better stand my reasoning behind my choices. Either way, you guys are so wonderful and I'm grateful to all of you.**

**Rose. L. Potter  
**

* * *

Through the Trapdoor

It was hard getting through her exams with the expectation that Voldemort could come bursting through the doors at any moment. But the days went by and her time was spent studying with Tracey and Hermione, and checking to make sure Fluffy was still alive and well protecting the stone behind the locked door with Draco and Ron.

At first Tracey thought that Rose had a bad case of nerves about the exams, finding her friend still awake in the middle of the night when she got up to use the loo. But on closer inspection she would find her friend with chills on her arms and her skin pale, and remembered how she had looked when she crawled into her bed after she came back from the forest. But she had never pried and asked what happened in the forest. Rose was someone you could not just break down the door with, you had to wait and let her unlock the door and she only did with those who earned her trust and respect.

One night, Tracey woke to use the bathroom when she noticed the curtains of Rose bed was open. She found this strange since Rose always slept with them closed. She had told her it was because she was used to sleeping in a small and enclosed space.

Worried that she had snuck out again, Tracey first checked the girls bathroom and showers of their dorm before making her way quietly down to the common room. There she found Rose sitting before the fire, quill in hand and writing in the diary that her muggle aunt had sent her for Christmas.

"Rose it's three in the morning. Did you have another nightmare again?" Tracey spoke in a sleepy whisper as she approached the red haired girl. Rose's red hair looked even coarser then ever in front of the fire, curling towards the bottom, and Tracey took a second to wonder if there was even a potion that existed that could make it as silky as Tracey's own. Rose said that it's texture was natural, that her father's hair was the same. At least that's what she believed when looking at the picture of her father that she had.

"I took a sleepless dream potion, but I couldn't get back to sleep." Rose mumbled, her eyes never leaving the page of her diary as she scribbled her thoughts down, her hand writing messy.

"I know your amazing at potions, but I wish you wouldn't test your own? You never know if you might have gotten it wrong until your on the floor blue faced. At least get them from Madame Pomfrey or Professor Snape." Tracey sighed, taking a seat on the other sofa across from her friend. "That or at least try them on some unsuspecting Gryffindor first before you take them." Tracey laughed, curling her legs under herself and just staring at Rose who green eyes seemed to have an extra haunting glow about them that night.

"You know your making me lose my beauty sleep staying up with you like this, right?" Tracey asked half halfheartedly as she flipped her blonde hair.

"Go back to bed then, I'm not making you stay down here with me." Rose told her rather snappishly, still not looking up at her, stopping her writing to lean forwards and dip her quill back into the ink jar sitting on the table between the two sofa's.

"Someone's cranky. Next time you'll remember to take your potion before bed so you wont wake up again until morning like the rest of us normal girls" Said Tracey, her words followed by a yawn. Finally Rose looked up."Go back to bed, I promise I'll be there in a minute" Rose smiled, taking pity on her friend.

"You better, because I'm not staying up to wait for you." Saying that Tracey returned to their room.

With a sigh. Rose finished her entry into the diary and put away her ink and quill. Writing her thoughts, putting down her dreams while they were still fresh in her mind, helped her somehow. Closing and locking the diary she tucked close her robe and made her way to their room. Tucking her diary into her mokeskin pouch beneath her bed, Rose looked next to her to see that true to her words Tracey didn't wait and had her curtains closed around her bed.

Taking off her robe, Rose hung it beside her bed and crawled underneath thick covers of her bed. Taking out her wand, and with a flick of her wrist the curtains of her bed shut tightly closed.

* * *

The large classrooms they were placed in to do their written papers were sweltering hot as they wrote down their answers with the special quills given to them that had an Anti-Cheating spell cast on all of them. Though in a sweaty mess from the heat, Rose took her test with a cool collectiveness that came with the confidence from knowing that her studying had paid off.

They also had practical exams as well. They would be called one by one from Professor Flitwick into a classroom and asked to make a pineapple that was presented to them tap dance across a desk. Rose enjoyed the practical exams much more the written and went into the room with confidence, smiling as she watched the professor clap happily as she performed to near perfection.

Next Professor McGonagall would have them turn a mouse into a snuffbox. She would give points depending how pretty the box was, and would have points taken away if the box had whiskers. Rose was very happy with how well's hers had come out, not expecting to do so well remembering how bad she had been at transfiguration in the beginning of the year, and apparently McGonagall was also pleased with her progress.

When it came down to potions, Snape made everyone nervous as he breathed down their necks, hovering about as they tried to remember how to make a forgetfulness potion. And despite the stabbing pains she had been getting in her forehead that she had been getting since her trip into the forest, Rose was confident that her potions had been perfect.

Their very last exam was in history of magic, the one she had dreaded to take the most. She could barely ever stay awake during their lessons, though the fact that Hermione made them study it during there free time together should help. One hour of answering questions about wizards who invented self stirring cauldrons, and they were finished, free for an entire week until they received their exams results.

"That was easier then I thought it would be. I'm pretty sure I passed potions with flying colors, but I had the hardest time with History of Magic." Rose admitted to Hermione and Tracey as she loosened her bow tie, Ron having completely undone his tie while Draco only loosened it. The heat was stifling, but the sunny clear sky was beautiful as they made their way out into the sun with the rest of the students.

"That's because you always fall asleep during class. Honestly, your almost as bad as Ron" Hermione scolded with a disapproving frown.

Wandering down to the lake the four rested beneath a tree. The Weasley twins were there as well with Lee Jordan, ticking the tentacles of a giant squid that was basking in the warm shallows.

"That looks like fun!" Rose said, pointing towards the three boys before kicking off her shoes and socks, and abandoning her group to play with the creature.

She needed a good distraction from the pain from her scar, and with the exams finished they were free from future studying, Rose was filled with a giddiness to just have a little fun and relax.

"Rose!" Hermione and Tracey called after her, watching as she ran barefoot towards the Twins and walked straight into the shallow water, completely unafraid of the squid.

"Leave her be," Draco told them, his eyes closed as he rested back against the trunk of the tree, his dark robes gone along with his sweater, using them as a pillow between his head and the rough bark. He knew all to well Rose was uncontrollable and that they were just wasting their breath when they could be relaxing and enjoying the gorgeous weather like the rest of them.

"Hey there, Ro, come to join the big boys?" Fred asked as he watched the water splash around her feet as she walked through it towards them, their own socks and shoes abandoned to dip their feet in the water as they played with the giant squid.

Not answering them, Rose slowed her pace as she got close to the squid, it's eye opening to stare at her, almost interested as she came deeper into the shallows towards it. Reaching out her hand she hesitantly brought it to one of the tentacles and began to pet the creature. The texture of it's skin was like nothing she had ever felt, and she made sure to use a gentle touch with it.

"Tracey, come on and try this. The water's warm and the squid is really friendly!" Rose called her over, beckoning to her with one hand and continuing her petting with the other.

Looking between Rose and Fred, Tracey stood, took off her socks and shoes, left them by the tree and started walking over to her friend with a disgusted look. It was obvious she didn't really want to join Rose, but it always seemed so hard to say 'no' to the other when she batted her eyes like that. Rose was definitely a Slytherin, no doubt about it.

"Come on don't be shy," Fred encouraged her with a smile that had Tracey turning her face away to hide her blush.

'_Is she getting over heated?' _Rose thought concerned and naïve as she watched her friends face grow red, thinking that it was the suns doing.

Finally Tracey reached her, a disgusted look still on her face as she stared down at the murky water sloshing around her ankles. Turning to the squid with an almost frightened look she almost jumped out of her skin when a freckled hand suddenly took her wrist and pressed her hand-palm flat- against the tentacle of the squid that Rose was caressing as if she were petting a cat.

Tracey gave a squeal as she felt the skin of the beast, and Fred who had forced her hand gave a cackle at her reaction. In return she glared at him, though it was halfhearted and not at all as strong as the usual Slytherin glare that of her house shared amongst them. It was a skill they picked up on from Professor Snape. "Oh I bet you think that's real funny don't you?" Tracey turned to Rose who was laughing, her eyes set in a glare as she quickly bent down and cupped her hands in the water before bringing them up and splashing Rose who gave a squeal of her own. Next thing any of them knew they were running around in the water with the Twins and Lee Jordan splashing each other. After awhile even Ron joined in just to help cool himself off in the water.

In the back of Rose's mind there was a feeling as if she was forgetting something important, and no matter how much she tried to distract herself with having fun with her friends the feeling continued to linger. Blocking her face from getting splashed, Rose happened to look up and see an owl flying overhead with a letter clamped in it's mouth. The first thought she had was that she wished the dungeons were more bird friendly, and second was that only Hagrid sent her letters

Hagrid! Suddenly all Rose could think about was Hagrid.

'_H__agrid would never betray Dumbledore, he would never tell anyone how to get past fluffy…never…but,' _then Rose was running from the water to her things by the tree, forgoing her socks as she shoved her feet in to her shoes. Ron and Tracey ran after her wondering what had suddenly gotten into her when they had been having so much fun.

"Where are you going?" Ron asked as he watched her sling her bag over her shoulder.

"I've just thought of something. We have to go see Hagrid, _now!_" She told them as she yelled to Tracey and Draco she would see them back in the common room as she started a jog."Why?" Hermione asking panting as she tried to keep up with the other girl."I just think it's really odd that the one thing Hagrid wants more then anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who happens to have one," Rose said, scrambling up the grassy slope.

"I mean, how many people just wander around with dragon eggs in their pockets when it's against wizard law to have one. Why didn't I see it before?" she continued, sprinting her way in the direction of Hagrids hut, Ron and Hermione struggling to keep up as they saw first hand the results of the laps Flint made her run around the quidditch pitch.

"What are you talking about?" Ron asked her, as if she had lost her bloody mind. Rose didn't answer him as she ran ahead for Hagrid who was sitting in an arm chair outside his house, his sleeves and trousers rolled up as he played his flute.

"Hullo, Rose, finished yer exams? Got time for a drink?" he asked with a smile, always happy to have her and the others company.

"Hagrid, I have to ask you something? What did the man who gave you Norbert look like?" She asked him.

"I dunno, he kept his hood up," He answered casually, not exactly seeing what she was trying to get out.

'_Alright, calm down, don't want him to get suspicious.' _Rose thought to herself, taking a deep breath putting on a smile and taking a seat on the stoop of his house next to him, trying to come off as laid back and casual as possible.

"Well you two must have talked. I know how much you love Hogwarts. Did you mention the school?" Rose asked, trying to come off as casual as possible, batting her lashes and smiling sweetly up at her favorite giant.

"Suppose it could of come up," he told her, frowning as he tried to remember the events and conversation of that night.

"What about the stranger, did he say anything?" she asked more specifically.

"He asked about what I did, an' I told him that I was game keeper here…then he asked about what sorta of creatures I looked after, and then he mentioned he had a dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it." he told them, trying hard to think back on what happened next, and Rose waited patiently for him to continue.

"But first he wanted to make sure that I could handle it, so I told him, after fluffy, a dragon would be easy." Rose nodded, getting closer to what she wanted to know.

"He must have been interested in Fluffy, after all I bet there arent that many three-headed dogs around" she smiled.

"Well of course he was. But I told him that the trick with any beast is to know how to calm him. Take Fluffy for example, just play him a little music and he falls straight to sleep-" Realizing exactly what he had said, a look of horror came across Hagrid's face as he looked at the three.

"I shouldn't have told yeh that." Hagrid blurted out.

"Hey, where yeh goin'?" Hagrid called as the three were up and running back to the castle.

"We've got to go to Dumbledore," said Rose, finally stopping and turning to face them as they entered the entrance hall.

"Where's Dumbledore's office?" she asked them, looking around as if trying to find some sign that pointed the way. Not once had they ever been told where Dumbledore stayed in the castle, not had anyone been sent to him see him.

"If we cant find Dumbledore, then we have to tell someone who knows where he is. Our best bet is to go to Professor McGonagall," she told them, the pain in her scar suddenly increasing.

"W-what are you th-three doing I-I-inside on lovely day like t-today?" At the stuttering voice of Quirell Rose turned and the moment she stared up at the man a flash of green sparked across her vision like a lighting bolt. Just like when she had first met him in the Leaky Cauldron. The pain she felt in her scar being near him right now left her suspicious, a feeling coming over her that this entire time they were accusing the wrong person when they should have been looking at the least likely suspect.

"Y-you look l-l-like your in pain, M-Miss P-P-Potter. Do you h-have a stomach ache, or a…h-headache?" There it was again, that glare that only last a second before it vanished again.

'_There it is again. He gave me the same look when we first met at the Leaky Cauldron.' _Rose thought as she stared up at Quirrell. But then again, maybe she was just being paranoid. With the knowledge that someone knew how to get pass Fluffy. "If-if so you sh-should really s-see, Madame P-Pomfrey" Quirrell advised her with a concerned smile, his face twitching with the turning up of his lips.

"We were just heading there actually." She told him as she winced, another spark of pain hitting her scar and washing over her that it was nearly blurring her vision.

'_Now that I think about it. My scar didn't hurt when I was alone with Professor Snape, only when he was with Quirrell' _Rose realized remembering the feeling she got when she had fist met the shaken man in the Leaky Cauldron and her vision of that green light. The more she thought about it, the more she was starting to realize that they really might have suspected the wrong man this entire time.

"D-do you n-need, a-asi-assistance getting th-there?" He asked, a dangerous glint in his eyes that didn't match the rest of his jittery body language.

"No thank you, Professor. Ron and Hermione will make sure I get there," she told with her perfected fake smile.

"I-I hope you f-feel b-be-better, Miss P-P-Potter" Wishing her well, Quirrell gave a curt node of his head in acceptance before waking his way out.

"Something's not right about him," Rose told them, rubbing soothing circles into her scar the pain still there, though easing, after his departure from their company.

Rose contemplated telling the others her theory, but then what would they think of her after accusing one professor and now another. Would they listen to her or finally have enough and throw away this adventure to protect the stone? But it still didn't explain why Snape was threatening him

"I think that's obvious. Poor fellow," Hermione sympathized as she looked to where Quirrell had exited from the hall.

"Ya, poor fellow." mutter Rose low under her breath, her voice unconvinced that Quirrell was all that innocent.

"We should hurry and find McGonagall, or if we're really lucky maybe we'll run into Dumbledore," Rose said before walking further into the castle and towards McGonagall's office.

Practically charging into McGonagall's office, the trio stopped before her desk, sweaty and panting for breath with frantic eyes.

"We need to talk to, Headmaster Dumbledore, immediately!" Rose practically screamed. After all she wasn't just worried about the stone, but her own life as well. If Snape or whoever it was succeeded in getting their hands on it and make the elixir of life, then Rose wouldn't stand a chance against Voldemort when he returned. After all she was only an eleven year old witch, with no extraordinary power except a talent in potions and a hard work ethic. Dumbledore was the only one who could protect her.

'_We have to talk to him, he has to be here. He's the only one that can help!' _Rose thought with panic, remembering her dreams of that dark figure in the forest, standing over her and ready to take her life.

"I'm sorry, but Professor Dumbledore just left ten minutes ago after receiving an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off to London at once." She told them, taken my surprise by their request to see the headmaster, but she was also suspicious.

"He's _gone?_" Rose asked frantically with wide eyes. "_Now?_ But this important!" she told McGonagall with urgency in her face and voice.

"More important then the Ministry of Magic, Miss Potter?" McGonagall asked skeptically, a fine dark eyebrow raised with the tinniest of smirks pulling at the corner of her lips.

"It's about the Sorceress Stone, someone's going to steal it!" Throwing all caution to the wind, Rose just said it. Her life and the stone more important to her then keeping their knowledge of the stone a secret.

What ever McGonagall had expected from them, it certainly wasn't that. Her whole body went rigid as she looked at each one of them with surprised eyes before coming to rest on Rose.

"I don't know how you three found out about the stone, but rest assured, no one can steal it, it's too well protected." She told them all with confidence and composure.

"Now I suggest you three go back outside and enjoy this wonderful sunshine that we're having" She forced a smile before shooing them out of her office.

"I'm going through the trapdoor tonight, and I'll get the Stone before Snape or any one else." Rose told them, marching towards the dungeons to prepare a potion to use to get past fluffy. A sleeping drought should be enough to knock the giant creature just long enough.

"Your mad!" Cried Ron, not letting his best mate go through with such a deadly plan.

"You cant, Rose, you'll be expelled!" Hermione told her, as if expulsion was the worst thing in the world to happen to a person and it made Rose boil with anger as she turned to the two Gryffindor's.

"SO WHAT!" She shouted at them with fury, her face burning red as she breathed hard.

"Don't either of you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort will come back! Both of you must have heard or read what it was like when he was trying to take over? If he comes back, there wont be a Hogwarts to get expelled from, or worse he'll turn it into a school for the Dark Arts and I wont go to the Dark Side!" She told them, breathing hard as fear coursed through her at the thought of the world she had only just started to explore would be like under that monsters reign of terror and blood.

"I'm going through the trapdoor tonight, and nothing you can say is going to stop me! Voldemort murdered my parents, remember?" she glared at them, her jade eyes watering as she remember the image of her mother and father in the Mirror of Erised.

"Your right, Rose. I'm sorry" Hermione apologized in a small voice.

"I'll use the Invisibility Cloak" She told them.

"Ya, but will it fit all three of us under it?" Ron asked her with a smirk.

"All-all three of us?" Rose asked shocked as she stared at the two of them.

"You didn't really think we were going to let you go alone, did you?" Ron asked cheekily.

"After all, how do you think your going to get the Stone without us. I'm sure I can find something useful in my books" Hermione said briskly.

"But if we get caught, then your both going to get expelled with me," Rose told them, as if they hadn't already realized that themselves.

"Not if I can help it. And Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. There's no way their going to throw me out after that." She said sure of herself.

Splitting up, Rose went to start on that sleeping draught and Ron and Hermione returned to Gryffindor Tower to search through Hermione's books. After dinner Rose told them what time that she would meet them outside of the Gryffindor common room with the Cloak.

Going back to her own Common room. When the Common room started to empty Rose ran back to her dorm room and grabbed her pouch that she kept under her bed and pocketed the potion and the flute Hagrid gave her just in case. The potion should be enough but in-case she got it wrong she would need something other then her voice to lull Fluffy to sleep. Tracey was more of the singer then she was, though she wasn't entirely awful at it either as she had shown when she sung in the Forbidden Forest.

Tossing the bag on her bed she opened her trunk and changed out of her school uniform into something better suited for the nights events. Putting on a plain buttoned up blouse she pulled a knitted sweater over it. A pair of thick high socks, shorts and boots. She was regretting less and less buying all those clothes from Madame Malkin.

Lastly she pulled her hair into two low pigtails, and with a deep breath grabbed her pouch and pulled the Invisibility Cloak from within it. It was time.

Running back to the Common room she pulled the Cloak over her and exited the Slytherin house into the dankly halls of the dungeon. Making her way up she finally arrived at the portrait of the Fat Lady, arriving just in time as she saw Hermione and Ron sneak out.

"Did you have any trouble?" Rose asked, having a bad feeling that their late night escape from their common room wasn't as easy as her own."Neveah tried to stop us from leaving, threatened to fight us even but Hermione cast that spell you had on Malfoy in the train. You two are brilliant, but scary when you cast spells" Ron admitted with a shake of his head. Rose and Hermione just grinned before they crammed underneath the cloak.

Checking every statues shadow, and watching out for Filch and Peeves, they stopped dead when they spotted Mrs. Norris.

"Oh, Please, lets kick her, just this once?" Ron begged Rose in a whisper, but Rose shook her head. It was tempting, but if they kicked her the yowl she would make would alert others that they had been their and Filch would come running.

"Darn it," Ron complained as they carefully made their away around Mrs. Norris who though turned her eyes onto them made no move or noise. From their they didn't meet anyone else for a while until they reached the staircase to the third floor.

'_Peeves!' _Rose glared, remembering the last time when he had ratted them out. She watched as he bobbed halfway up in the air as he loosed the carpet so people would trip on it.

"Who's there?" he asked suddenly, turning those black eyes towards them as they climbed the stairs.

"Know you're there, even if I cant see you. Are you a ghoulie or ghostie, may a wee student beastie?" He asked, rising in the air and just floating there with narrow eyes as he tried to spot their exact location.

"Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen." Rose grinned, she had been practicing for this just so she could mess with the poltergeist to get revenge for snitching on them.

"Peeves," Rose said, deepening her voice and making it a hoarse whisper, "The Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible at times." Rose had to hold back her laughter as she watched Peeves nearly fall out of the air in shock. Catching himself he hovered a foot off the stairs.

"So sorry, Mr. Baron, sir. It was my mistake, my mistake-I didn't see you-of course I didn't see you , your invisible-Forgive old Peevsie for his little joke, sir." The poltergeist was close to begging.

"I have business here, Peeves. Stay away from this place tonight." Rose croaked her order.

"I will, sir. Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you." Peeves said before he was gone.

"That was_ brilliant_, Rose!" Whispered Ron behind her.

"It pays to have the only one who can control Peeves as your house ghost. The Bloody Baron is actually quite charming when you keep him company." She explained with a smile. A few seconds later they were standing outside the third-floor corridor-but the door was already ajar upon their arrival.

"He's already gotten past Fluffy." Rose frowned, not sure if she was referring to Snape or Quirrell.

"I wont blame you if you want to go back. I'll even let you take the Cloak since I wont be needing it anymore," She told them, twisting her body around to face them beneath the cloak.

"Don't be an idiot, of course we're coming." Ron said, and Hermione agreed. With that said Rose pushed the door open all the way and stepped in together with her friends.

The door creaked closed behind them and low rumbling growls met their ears. In front of them all three of Fluffy's heads sniffed madly in their direction though it couldn't see them, it knew they were there by their scent.

'_Their mouths are shut tight, if at least one of them opened to pant I could throw the potion into it's mouth.' _Unfortunately they kept their muzzles clamped tight, there fangs peaking out from underneath it's jowls. She would have to go with the flute.

'_And I was really looking forward to testing out my potion on something so big too' _Rose nearly pouted before Hermione brought her attention back to where it should be as she pointed out something at the dogs feet to both her and Ron.

"It looks like a harp. I bet Snape must have left it there" said Ron. Rose pulled the flute from her pouch.

"Well here it goes," Wetting her lips Rose brought the flute to her mouth and began to paly the tune to the song she had sang in the Forest that night they had all watched with satisfaction as Fluffy's eyes started to droop and slowly the dogs growling ceased. Tottering on it's paws Fluffy fell to his knees, slumping to the ground and fell fast asleep.

"Keep playing, Rose," Ron told her as they slipped out of the cloak, pulling it lastly from over Rose and putting it in her bag. Slowly they crept towards the trapdoor, wrinkling their noses in disgust as they felt the dogs hot, smelly breath blow on them as they moved towards the giant heads.

"I'm pretty sure we can pull open the door" Said Ron as he peered over the dogs back.

"Wanna go first, Hermione?" Ron asked hopefully, knowing that Rose had no choice to be the last one if she continued to play

"No, I don't!" she refused.

"Fine." Ron said looking scared as he gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dogs legs. Bending down he pulled the ring of the small door, swinging up and open for them to enter,

"What can you see?" Hermione asked anxiously, fidgeting with her skirt.

"I don't see anything, it's just black. I don't see a way to climb down so we're going to have to drop down." he stop.

'_I should go first. Just in-case there's something dangerous down there' _Rose thought still playing the flute missed a note to give a whistle to get Ron's attention and motioning to herself.

"You want to go first? You sure?" Ron asked. Rose nodded her head.

"Then give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep" With quick hand Rose gave Hermione the flute, who though couldn't play the same tune as Rose still played something resembling music and Rose briefly wondered if there was anything Hermione didn't know how to do.

"If anything happens to me, get yourselves out. I mean it. Promise me!" She told them when she was hanging by her finger tips, the rest of her body dangling in the darkness.

"We promise." Ron said for him and Hermione.

"See you in a minute,…I hope" And Rose let herself drop. Cold air rushed past her as she fell, down, down, down and finaly-

FUMP. With a strange muffled thump she landed on something soft. Sitting up she felt around. It was if she was sitting on some kind of plant, like vise or roots were beneath her.

"It's safe you guys! The landing is soft, you can jump!" Rose was surprised at how fast Ron followed after her when she gave the okay. He landed sprawled next to her, automatically feeling around like she had.

"What is this stuff?" He asked her. Rose just shrugged before calling up to Hermione to jump. High up they heard the music stop and their was a loud bark from Fluffy as he woke up. Thankfully Hermione had already jumped through, giving a cry as she feel through the air before landing just across from her and Ron.

"We must be miles underneath the school from how long it took to reach the bottom" Hermione estimated .

"It's lucky this plant thing's here, really" Said Ron and suddenly Hermione gave a shriek the same time Rose and Ron did as the plant thing they had landed on wrapped snake like tendrils around the, binding their legs tightly, more coming and and wrapping around their torso's and shoulders.

"Stop moving, the both of you, this is Devil's Snare. You have to relax. If you don't it will only kill you faster." Hermione told them a little to calmly.

"Kill us faster? Oh, now I can relax!" Snarled Ron, leaning back as he tried to stop the plant from curling around his neck.

Letting herself go limp, Hermione took a deep breath, relaxing her body and letting her body sink into the vines before falling beneath it except this time the landing wasn't so soft as she his stone floor.

"HERMIONE!" Ron and Rose shouted, before being choked quiet. The vines were wrapping so tight around Rose it was getting harder and harder for her to breath.

"Now what do we do?" Ron asked, panicking as he struggled harder and against the plant constricting his body.

"Just relax!" Hermione called below them.

"Hermione, where are you? Help us!" Rose croaked, wheezing for breath.

"Do what I say! Trust me." She told them, and having little to no choice left for her Rose did as she was advised and let her self relax already going dizzy her oxygen was becoming cut off. Sinking into the plant she was let go and dropped below with Hermione.

"Rose!" Ron screamed, watching in horror as she disappeared as well, forgetting that he could hear Hermione from just below him. Safe.

"He's not relaxing" Rose said the obvious and Hermione helped her to her feet. Rubbing her neck she was sure she would have a bruise, but that wasn't important.

"I know. I'm trying to think." Biting her lip and wringing her hands the bushy haired girl closed her eyes and went through her books, and all her studies and finally her eyes snapped opened.

"I remember something that Professor Sprout said in class. A poem. Devils Snare, Devils Snare. It's deadly,...but sulks in the sun. That's it! Devils Snare hates light and heat!" Hermione said as she remembered.

Pulling out her wand, she waved it, muttered something and a jet of the same fire she had used to set fire to Snape's cloak came out directed at the underbelly of the plant. It actually gave a shriek of agony as it coiled back releasing Ron and dropping him down to where they were much harder then Hermione and Rose had.

"Ron, are you alright?" Rose sprinted to him, grabbing him under the arm and helping him up.

"Ya. Good thing we didn't panic" both Hermione and Rose rolled there eyes as Ron brushed himself off.

"Lucky that Hermione pays attention in Herbology" She corrected him. With a deep breath from all of them, the trio made there way down the only passage way they way down the only passage way. The way the passage sloped made Rose think of Gringotts and remember with a rapidly beating heart how Hagrid said there were supposedly dragons guarding the vaults in the wizard bank. Rose tried to imagine Norbert twenty times bigger and gave a shudder of fear.

"Do you hear that?" Ron asked in a whisper and Rose tilted her head to listen. There was a soft fluttering and clinking sound that seemed to be coming from up ahead.

"What do you think it is?" Hermione asked.

"It sounds…like wings" Rose said as she spotted a light up ahead, the sound getting louder the closer they came, the light getting bright and the passage opening up into a lit chamber with a high arched ceiling. The air above them was filled with small, bright jeweled birds tumbling about in a flock.

There was a large wooden door on the opposite side of the room and without any thought to what might happen, Ron ran for it. He reached the door untouched and Hermione and Rose followed, keeping their eyes on the birds in case they decided to attack. Together they pulled on the handle of the door, even using _Alohamora _but nothing, the door remained locked and sealed.

"Now what do we do?" Ron asked.

"I've never seen birds like these before. They must be here for some reason." Hermione pondered as she watched the fluttering and flapping wings, listening to their rustling and clinking.

Stepping closer, Rose squinted her eyes behind her glasses, focusing on the creatures and gave a gasp at what she discovered.

"They're not birds! They're winged _keys. _If you look closely you can see…" Turning her eyes from the keys, Rose looked around for something, anything. Maybe a long net to catch one of them.

"A broomstick!" Resting against the wall was a single broomstick for use.

"We have to catch one of them" Rose said, searching the air. There were so many. It was like finding a needle in haystack as the muggle's would say.

"But there are _thousands_ of them. Which one could it be?" Hermione pointed out the obvious, and Rose tried not to get frustrated.

"The key we're looking for is probably old fashioned, and probably gold like the handle." Ron told them after examining the lock on the door.

Searching the air Rose had a talent for spotting things that no one else seemed to see. It wasn't long until she found what she believed to be the key they needed among the thousands.

"There!" She called to them, a finger pointed into the flock.

" I see it! That one with the broken wing," She pointed up, to a gold key, with a wilted wing, as if it had already been caught and stuffed into the key hole in the door.

Jumping onto the broom with no hesitation to go after the key, Rose hadn't expected the keys to swarm and attack her the moment she got on the broom. Batting at the keys with her hands for a good minute, she was finally able to lift into the air. And with the other keys after her, Rose swooped, dives until finally she caught the key in her back towards the Ron and Hermione, Rose jumped off from her broom while still two feet in the air, landing and running to the door as the key struggled in her hand and rammed it into the key hole.

Turning the key, the door unlocked with a click and Rose pulled open the door. The three cheered and jumped for joy as they hurried through. Rose retracted the key and shoved it in her pocket just in case it might be able to open another door they happened to come by, and followed Ron and Hermione.

The next room was so dark that they couldn't see there hands in front of there face. When they took a stumbling step further into the room, huge torches in the walls flared, flooding light into the chamber.

"It's a chessboard" Ron confirmed her suspicion. Just ahead of them was possibly the largest chessboard in the world. There were towering chessmen made of beautiful white and black stone. Looking closer Rose shivered when she saw that the white chessmen had no faces.

"There's the door!" Rose pointed out. The door to the next chamber was on the other side of the room, blocked by the white chessmen. To get to the door they would have to go across the chessboard.

"What do we do now. I doubt we can just cross without somehow being stopped" Rose asked Ron and Hermione. Hoping one of them would have an idea.

"It's obvious. We have to play our way across the room if we want to get to the door.

"Play?" Hermione asked nervously. It had already been established that she was not at all a good chess player.

"Yes. Rose, you take the empty bishop square. And, Hermione, you'll be the queen side castle" Ron directed, taking charge as he pointed out there places on the black side.

"What about you?" Hermione asked, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"I'll be a knight." he told them, making his way over to the only horse without a knight a top it's back. The moment Ron touched it's cold neck, the stone horse sprang to life and the horse pawed at the floor before stilling to let Ron mount it.

"This is going to need a lot of thinking. So give me a minute" He asked of them. Rose and Hermione stood silent in there places, allowing Ron to think and come up with a plane.

"First, I don't mean to offend you guys. But neither of you are all that good at chess, so if you don't mind it's be easier if I just tell you what to do. Is that ok?" Ron finally asked them, and both girls nodded, not taking offense at all and just wanting to get through this.

"White goes first." He explained, and as if on cue a white pawn had moved forward two squares.

'_What if this is like real wizards chess? What if we lose?' _Rose thought, her knee's shaking as she resisted the urge to run off the board as Ron directed the black pieces. The statues moved with a scraping sound across the board, going where ever Ron sent them.

"Rose, move diagonally four squares to the right." Rose gave a nod and did what she was told. Then the first real shock of the game came when their other knight was taken and the white queen thrust the point of her scepter through the knight like as if it was sword. It certainly was as deadly as one. The knight was then dragged and thrown off the edge of the chessboard.

"Had to let that happen or you wont be free to take that bishop. Go on, Hermione." Ron said, sounding just as shaken as the two girls felt.

They had lost a lot of pieces, each lost as brutal as the last as the white pieces showed them no mercy. And Twice, Ron had just barely noticed in time that Rose and Hermione were in danger. Ron himself was moving all over the board, taking as many white pieces as they had lost their own black ones.

"We're almost there. Just let me think…" he said before the white queen turned her eery blank face towards him. And Ron knew what had to be done.

Looking around the board Rose tried to think of something as well, hoping maybe in someway she could help. But as she looked around, taking in every pieces position she came to the same conclusion as Ron.

"Wait a minute" She said to herself, turning her horrified expression on Ron.

"You understand right, Rose? Once I make my move the queen will take me." He looked to the queen with determination before his eyes landed back on Rose.

"Then you'll be free to check the king!" he said to her strongly, leaving no doubt in his voice that this was the only way they could win.

"No, Ron!" Rose shook her head stubbornly. She didn't want to believe that this was it. That nothing else could be done.

"What is it?" Hermione spoke up confused and feeling panic from watching the two talk, not understanding what was happening.

"He's going to sacrifice himself" Rose told her and Hermione turned to Ron, begging him not to. That there must be some other way. But there wasn't.

"Do you want to stop Snape from getting the stone are not?" He asked her. There really was no other way.

"Rose, are you ready?" he asked her. With a sigh Rose nodded.

Ron moved forward and the white queen didn't hesitate. Piercing the horse beneath Ron he gave a terrible scream as the horse bucked him off before going limp, hitting his head on the floor.

Rose tried to ignore Hermione's scream as she ran those three spaces to the left. The white king let his sword drop from his hands, falling at Rose's feet and the chessmen parted and bowed to clear the way to the door. They had won.

With one last desperate look to Ron, both girls charged ahead to the door. It opened without any resistance.

'_I guess I didn't need to keep this key after all' _Rose thought as they made their way up the next passage., patting her pocket where she felt the key wiggle.

"What if Ron is-?"

"He'll be alright Hermione. It'll take more then a hit to the head to keep him down for long." Rose said more to convince herself then Hermione.

"What do you think we'll come faced with next?" Rose asked, trying to distract Hermione from Ron while trying to predict what they would have to do next so they could be more prepared to handle it.

"Well, we've faced Sprout's Devils Snare. Flitwick must have charmed the key's; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to life; so that leaves only Quirrell's spell and Snapes…" She stopped as they reached another door.

"Will you be ok?" Rose turned and asked. She needed to know that Hermione was alright to go on. Hermione just nodded, determination to make it through bright in her eyes.

Turning back around, Rose took the handle of the door in her hand and twisted. The moment the door opened the two girls were it hit with the most rancid smell. Pulling the collars of there sweaters up over their noses and mouth, there eyes actually watered as they entered the chamber, finding a troll laying flat on the floor before them. It was even larger then the one they had faced on Halloween.

"Glad we don't have to fight this one." Rose whispered with relief as they stepped over one of it's trunk like legs.

"Let's hurry before I pass out from the smell" She hurried Hermione.

Finally they came to the next door and Rose pulled it open. Entering the room they closed the door behind them and breathed in the unpolluted smell, breathing in as much of it in before taking notice of the rooms contents. In the center of the room was a table center with seven different shaped phials standing out in a line with a roll of paper before them.

Feeling confident if this was involving potions Rose stepped further into the room and towards the table. Once Rose and Hermione stepped forward form the threshold of the door a fire set flame behind them in the doorway. But it was no ordinary fire for it was purple. At the same time black flames sprang up in the doorway leading ahead. They were the scroll of parchment from the table Rose read it aloud.

"_Danger lies before you, while safely lies behind,_

_Two of is will help you, whichever you would find,_

_One among us seven will let you move ahead,_

_Another will transport the drinker back instead,_

_Two among out number hold only nettle wine,_

_Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line._

_Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,_

_To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:_

_Second, different are those who stand at either end,_

_But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;_

_Third, as you clearly see, all are different size,_

_Neither dwarf nor giant hold death in their insides;_

_Fourth, the second left and the second on the right _

_Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight."_

Rose gave a laugh after finishing reading, startling Hermione who soon enough caught on to the riddle and smiled.

'_Any one raised in the muggle world could figure this out_' Rose thought. She had not expected this from Snape at all. She was pleasantly surprised.

"This isn't magic, it's simple logic. A puzzle" she sighed in relief.

"Even some of the greatest wizards wouldn't have gotten this, because most of them don't have an ounce of logic since magic isn't logical, and would be stuck down here. It's _brilliant_" Hermione praised.

"Ok, so how do we know which to drink?" Rose asked, working together with Hermione to figure it out as they read back over the clues, looking up to the phials and then back to the paper, and repeat.

"I think that the smallest one is the one that will get us through the black fire." Rose said, picking up the phial and examined it closer.

"There's only enough for one of us." she told Hermione with a great seriousness, the look in her eye letting Hermione know that she planned to drink it herself."Now which one will get you back through the purple flames?" Hermione grabbed the round phial at the right end of the line.

"I'll drink this and you drink that" Rose said, continued before Hermione could argue.

"You have to get back to Ron. Grab the broom from the flying-key room. It should get you back up out of the trapdoor and past fluffy. Then go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, we'll need, him. I should be able to hold who ever it is after the stone until he gets here." she told Hermione with urgency.

"You'll be ok, Rose. You're a great witch." Hermione said softly with firm belief.

"Ya, but I'm not nearly as good as you" Said Rose bashfully as she smiled.

"Me! Books and cleverness!" She rolled her eyes. "There are more important things. Friendship and bravery-Oh Rose- please be careful" she begged lastly. Rose gave her a hug and reassured her she would before confirming that Hermione was sure these were the right phials.

"Positive" Said Hermione and then took a long drink from the round phial, shuddering when she was done.

"It's cold. Like ice" Hermione commented.

"Hurry and go, before it wears off!" They wished each other good luck and then Hermione was turning and walking straight through the purple flames.

Once Rose saw that Hermione had passed through safely, she took a swig from the phial in her own hand, draining it dry. The potion really did make you feel like there was ice running through your body. Turning to the black flames she took a deep, shuddering. breath before walking through.

Once she was through she came to a large set of wide stares, the room was dark and she was careful on her way down. As she got to the bottom her scar started to burn and gave a hiss of pain as she brought her fingers up to the mark.

Continuing down the second flight, alight shone in the center of the room. Someone was already there. But it wasn't Snape, it wasn't even Voldemort. It was the exact person Rose had suspected last.

TBC

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**I did my best going over this chapter carefully, since I haven't heard from my Beta and I feel disappointed knowing that I wont be able to provide the top quality she did, but I promise I will go over every chapter from here on in this series with a fine tooth comb so I don't make such simple and small mistakes that people chew my head off for. You deserve better quality, and I will do my best to deliver it to you.  
Thank you for reading**.


	26. Chapter 26

The Man With Two Faces.

It was Quirrell.

"_You!_" Rose gasped, stopping where she stood on the stairs and watching as the man turned from the Mirror of Erised behind him to face her.

"I wondered whether I would be meeting you here, Potter." His voice was cold and sharp, his stutter gone as well as that twitch in his face he usually had when speaking, as he smiled at her.

"I should have figured out it was you sooner," Rose said. "But I had thought that Professor Snape-"

Quirrell's laugh interrupted her. "Yes, Severus does seem like the type, doesn't he? But next to him who would ever suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell? Except for you, Miss Potter. Figuring things out, accusing the wrong man before finally getting it right, bravo!" he said, sneering at her. Rose felt so ashamed for accusing Professor Snape, now that she was faced with the real thief.

"But that day at the Quidditch match-"

"It was _I _tried who tried to kill you. And if wasn't for Snape, muttering his little counter curse, and your friend Granger who knocked me over in her task of setting him up in flames and breaking my eye contact with you, I would have succeeded," he explained.

"Professor Snape was trying to save me." Rose lowered her eyes, feeling worse and worse for thinking it was her own Head of House that was trying to hurt her.

"Of course. This entire year he's been protecting you. Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? It was to make sure I didn't try to do it again. But it really didn't matter, with Dumbledore there I couldn't do anything," he told her with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"But I always thought Snape didn't like me," Rose said more to herself as she foolishly tried to take time to figure the man out.

"Didn't like you? He may have tried. After all, he hated your father, the man tormented him for years. Yes, the pair truly detested one another in their school years. Even now Snape goes on, hating a man long dead, never forgiving your father for getting what he always wanted." He shrugged, speaking casually of the matter.

'_I already know what my father did to him,' _Rose thought, agitated and on edge. She didn't need to be told what she already knew, it had always annoyed her.

"But he _adores you_! You're an exact replica of your mother in almost everyday. Red hair, green eyes, talented at Potions. And to top it off you were placed in his own house. I bet he wishes you were _his_ daughter. It's probably impossible for that man to hate you," Quirrell said coolly, looking her over. "And such a clever little Slytherin you are. I knew you were a danger to me right from the off, especially after Halloween. I thought if I killed you, it would make up for all my mistakes and I would be in my master's good graces again." Quirrell started to ramble off.

"Then you let the troll in!" she said, for some reason moving down the stairs again and towards the man who tried to kill her.

"Very good, Potter, yes," he praised her mockingly. "I have a rather special talent when it comes to trolls. You must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber before you arrived. But unfortunately, while everyone else was running around the dungeon looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off."

"I'm such an idiot. This entire time it's always been you. That day in the _Leaky Cauldron_ you glared at me for a second. I had a bad feeling about you from the very start. I should have listened to my instincts instead of feeling sorry for you. Especially when I heard you sobbing," Rose said, disappointed with herself as she glared at the man. And for the first time, she saw a spasm of fear come across Quirrell's face that was genuine.

"I sometimes find it hard to follow my master's instructions – he is such a great wizard and I am weak-"

"_He, _was there in the classroom with you?" Rose gasped, terrified to think that Voldemort had actually been inside the school, so close. The pain from her scar was leaving her out of breath, as if just speaking of the dark wizard was making it worse.

'_I feel sick,' _Rose thought, suddenly.

"He is with me wherever I go," Quirrell said, so quietly that Rose almost didn't hear him. "I met him when I was traveling the world. A foolish young man I was back then, with foolish ideas about good and evil. But Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. That there is no good and evil, only power and those too weak to seek it…" He started to trail off before turning around to face the mirror once more. "This mirror is the key to getting the Stone. Trust the great Dumbledore to come up with something like this… But he's far away from the school now… in London, and I'll be far away from here with my master by the time he returns," he said, tapping along the frame, trying to find a hollow spot, going around and tapping the back of it, before circling back to stare at his reflection in the glass. "I see myself with the Stone… I'm presenting it to my master… But how do I get it?" he said, cursing in his frustration. "I don't understand… Is the Stone _inside_ of the mirror? Must I break it to retrieve it?" Quirrell rambled to himself.

Rose's mind was racing. She had to keep Quirrell from finding the Stone. She had to stop him. Slowly she reached for her wand, pulling it out of her pocket and trying to think of a spell that would work against him.

'_Think, Rose, you can do this. Just think of a spell that will hold him off… I've got it!'_ She knew the spell, the words repeating in her head like a mantra. All she needed to do was concentrate and put enough power into it that would keep him restrained long enough for Dumbledore to arrive.

"_Petrificus Total-_" Quirrell hadn't noticed in her in the mirror but he had heard her, spinning and casting a spell that knocked her wand from her hand and off to the side before she could finish saying hers.

"Trying to cast a spell on me while my back was turned? You do belong in Slytherin," he said to her as he glared. "Did you really think I wouldn't notice you?" he asked, furious at her and with himself for allowing her the time to pull out her wand without him noticing, only just managing to stop her. A second too late and he would have been on the floor frozen. "But just to be careful from now on-" He let his sentence die as he snapped his fingers and ropes appeared out of thin air, wrapping themselves tight around Rose. "Now be a good girl and stay quiet. I need to think." And then he turned back around to the mirror, ignoring her as he once more began to speak to himself.

Struggling against the ropes, Rose tried with all her might to get free. But it was no use; they wouldn't budge or loosen no matter how much she squirmed. Fear rushed through her. She had failed. She wished she had her parents; that she could see them one last time.

'_That's it. My parents, the mirror!' _Lifting her head up, Rose stared past Quirrell at the mirror she had spent so much time looking into, her reflection looking back at her with a smile. She knew how to find the Stone.

'_More than anything in the world at this moment I want to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So if I look into the mirror I should find myself finding it – which means I'll see where it's hidden!' _Closing her eyes, she focused on this wish, letting it overtake any other dream so that it became even stronger than the wish to see her parents.

"What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"

Opening her eyes to stare at the screaming Quirrell, Rose was horrified when a voice actually answered him. And it seemed to be coming from Quirrell himself.

"Use the girl… Use the girl…" A whispering voice said, and then Quirrell rounded on Rose.

"Potter, come here!" he ordered her, clapping his hand once, the ropes disappearing and freeing her. "Don't event think about it!" Quirrell warned when he noticed her looking to her wand on the stone steps just five feet away. "Come here!" he repeated, and with one last glance at her wand, Rose slowly walked towards the crazed man. She could smell the odd stench coming from his turban and wrinkled her nose. "Look in the mirror, tell me what you see," he said as he moved behind her.

Closing her eyes, Rose breathed in before opening them again to look into the mirror. Her reflection was pale and her expression scared-looking, before it smiled at her as it had done so before. She watched as the other her stuck its hand into her pocket and pulled out a blood-red stone. She winked at herself before putting the Stone back in her pocket, and the moment it did she felt as if something heavy had dropped into the pocket opposite of the one she had the key in.

'_I've got the stone' _Rose thought, trying not to get too excited. The easy part was over.

"Well? What do you see?" said Quirrell impatiently and Rose screwed up some Gryffindor courage as her Slytherin instincts screamed at her to take the Stone and run as fast as she could out of the chamber and away from him.

"I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore. I've won the House Cup for Slytherin. Everyone finally accepts me," she lied convincingly, trying not to smirk as she heard Quirrell curse again and order her to get out of the way as he took her place in front of the mirror once more.

'_Should I make a run for it?'_ Rose wondered as she started to slowly step back towards the stairs, feeling the Stone brush against her leg through her pocket with each move she made. But she hadn't made it five paces back before the high voice spoke again. But Quirrell wasn't moving his lips.

"She lies… She lies…" The voice echoed as the pain in her scar suddenly spiked again.

"Come back here, Potter, and tell me the truth! What do you see?" Quirrell shouted.

"I told you what I saw! It's not going to change, just like what you see won't change," she said and took another brave step back in the direction of her wand. The voice spoke again.

"Let me speak to her… face-to-face…" it hissed, the sound freezing Rose in her place. It sounded like the voice in her nightmare.

"Master, you are not strong enough!" Quirrell argued, looking almost concerned.

"I have strength enough… for this…" it told him, and Rose watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban.

'_Move! Get to your wand and run while his hands are busy!' _

But she couldn't move, she was petrified as she watched the turban come undone until it was completely unraveled.

Quirrell's head looked strangely small without the fabric wrapped around it. He turned on the spot and Rose screamed as she stared into a chalk-white face on the back of his head, where it should have been smooth, with slits for nostrils like a snake's and the same red eyes of the man from her dream. When her scream finished, horrified tears began to well in her eyes as the face spoke.

"Rose Potter…" It whispered her name, and Rose's body and mind screamed at her to move back, but no matter how much she wanted to her legs just wouldn't move for her, frozen by fear.

"Voldermort," she breathed.

"Yes, see what I have become?" Voldemort asks her, and Rose was trying not to look into his eyes, trying not to remember her dream and the green flashing light before her mother's body hits the floor, her eyes open as she stared at Rose, hidden under the bed. "A mere shadow and vapor… I have form only when I can share another's body… But then I have never had trouble finding those willing to let me into their hearts and minds…" Rose wanted to scream at him that he didn't know what a heart was. How could a monster with no heart itself know anything about the hearts of others? "Unicorn blood had sustained and strengthened me these past weeks, as you yourself have seen faithful Quirrell drinking for me in the forest… But once I have the Elixir of Life I will be able to create a body of my own," he said, and Rose tried not to give an unpleasant shiver from the vivid memory. "Now… why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?" he asked with a faux-gentleness to his voice.

'_He knew!' _And Rose could suddenly move again.

Turning, she ran for her wand, grabbing it without stopping as she made a run up the stairs, but Quirrell snapped his fingers again and this time a fire suddenly blocked her way, lighting the other three walls as well and illuminating the once-dim room. Stepping backwards down the stairs, Rose turned away from the fire, feeling its heat on her back.

"Don't be a fool. It's better to save your own life and join me… or you'll meet the same end as your parents… They died begging me for mercy…" Voldemort sneered.

"LIAR!" Rose shouted. Her parents would have never done such a thing. Just like in her dream, she was sure they had died fighting bravely.

Suddenly, Quirrell started to walk backwards towards the stairs, so that Voldemort could still see her perfectly, a smile on his evil face. "How very touching…" he hissed. "I always value bravery. And what a surprising amount you have for a Slytherin. How ironic you were put in the same house I was in. Yes, girl, your parents were very brave… I killed your father first. He put up a courageous fight… but your mother needn't have died, I would have let her live… but she was trying to protect you," he told her.

When she blinked, Rose saw a flash of green that faded to reveal her mother's lifeless eyes staring at her. Tears burned at her own green eyes as she tried to shake off the memory.

"Now give me the Stone, unless you wish to prove your mother's death was in vain." His voice rose and Rose defiantly refused, "NEVER!" She repeated the word that her mother had said to Voldemort in her dream; when he'd asked Lily to give her daughter up. Her choice was made; just as final as her mother's had been to protect her, Rose would protect the Stone. She turned and started to run back up the stairs; she would jump through the flames.

"SEIZE HER!" Voldemort screamed, and before she could reach the flame's wall, Quirrell grasped her wrist tightly, pulling her back. The moment he touched her, Rose gave a pained scream as agony seared across her scar. It felt as though her head was being split into two, she couldn't breathe and her glasses had been knocked from her face as she struggled with all her might, and to her surprise Quirrell let her go. The pain lessened the moment his hands were gone, her head clearing enough for her to look around wildly for him as she scooted back across the stair. She found the man standing hunched in pain against the wall across from her, holding his hands out in front of him. They were blistering right before their eyes.

'_Did I do that?_' Rose thought briefly, keeping her eyes and wand on him.

"Seize her! SEIZE HER!" shrieked Voldemort again, and before Rose could think of a spell to cast, Quirrell had lunged from his spot and was on her, both of his hands wrapped around her throat.

The pain was almost blinding, in fact her vision was already beginning to swim as her oxygen was being cut off by Quirrell's hands squeezing her neck tightly. But as much pain as she was in from her scar, Quirrell was howling in apparently equal agony.

"Master, I cannot hold her… My hands, my hands!" Quirrell cried, pinning her down to the cold surface of the stairs with his knees before taking his hands away from her throat, staring bewildered and his palms that were burned red and raw.

While he was distracted, Rose sucked in as much air into her lungs as she could, feeling weak and lightheaded.

"Then kill her already you fool and be done!" Voldemort was screeching at Quirrell from the back of the man's head.

Quirrell raised his hand, preparing to perform a deadly curse, and all Rose could think about was how she didn't want to die, and her hands reached up instinctually and grabbed Quirrell's face.

'_He can't touch my bare skin without getting hurt. I just need to keep hold of him and in enough pain to keep him from killing me,_' Rose thought as she stood with Quirrell, keeping her hands pressed over his face as she backed him towards the wall.

He swatted and smacked at her, clawed at her little arms but she wouldn't back away or let go no matter the amount of pain she was causing herself. She kept a hold, digging her fingernails into his cheek and forehead as her hands splayed across his face, until she felt his skin start to crack and crinkle.

"KILL HER! KILL HER!"Voldermoret yelled, and finally Quirrell overpowered her and pushed her away from him. Rose watched, horrified as Quirrell's face started to turn to ash, still begging his master to know what was happening to him as he watched his hands do the same, as they started to crumble. With one last attempt as he turned to ash, Quirrell held out his hand and started to walk towards her, before tripping. The moment his body hit the floor it shattered to ash and dust.

'_It's over,' _Rose thought, sitting back down, not even noticing the vaporous figure leaving the remains of Quirrell and disappearing from the chamber. Exhausted, Rose fell onto her back, her head towards the mirror as she stared at the image of her parents crouched around her on the stairs in it. In the distance, she heard someone scream her name. It wasn't until she saw her mother in the mirror placing a kiss on her head that Rose closed her eyes and let herself fall into the darkness of unconsciousness. She was so tired, and it was all over, now she just wanted to sleep.

The next time Rose woke she found herself lying in a bed. Sitting up, she glanced blearily around and found that she was in the hospital wing. Looking down at herself, she saw that all her injures had been wrapped and cleaned. Searching for her glasses, she discovered them on the bedside table with a vase of beautiful flowers, and delicious treats and cards that all said get well soon on them. Pulling on her glasses, she stared at the end of her bed with a smile at the mountain of candy there that she assumed was all for her.

"Good afternoon, Rose," Dumbledore greeted her as he entered, coming to the end of her bed to stand behind the pile of treats. The moment she saw him, she remembered, "Sir! The Stone! I had it in my pocket! Where is it? Is it safe? Quirrell, he-"

"Calm yourself, dear girl, the Stone is safe and Quirrell can no longer get to it, nor harm you."

Rose swallowed and breathed.

'_That's right. I saw Quirrell turn to ash at my hands.' _She gave a sigh of relief and opened her eyes, looking down at the white linen over her lap and that was when she realized that something was hanging from her neck. It was the golden key she had caught, but it no longer had its wings and hung on a long, matching gold chain.

"It was found in your pocket along with the Stone. I thought that if you had kept it with you, you might like to keep it as a… good luck charm of sorts," Dumbledore told her, watching as she twirled the key between her fingers. The gold of the key and chain matched that of her father's bracelet that was still snug around her wrist. "Tokens from your admirers?" he asked her, looking at the assortment with glee.

"Admirers?" Rose asked, confused.

"What happened in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally the whole school knows. I believe your friends Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat. No doubt they thought it would amuse you, but Madame Pomfrey felt it might be unhygienic and confiscated it."

Rose couldn't help but laugh, remembering the twins' conversation with their mother when she'd first met them at Platform 9 ¾.

"Mr. Ronald Weasley, Miss Granger and Miss Davis will be relieved to hear that you've woken up. They've all been extremely worried about you, especially Miss Davis. Madame Pomfrey eventually had to throw her out of the hospital wig, she refused to leave your side when it came close to curfew every night."

Rose smiled, thinking of a worried Tracey hovering over her, berating her as she slept for making her worried and breaking the rules. "How long have I been here?" she asked Dumbledore.

"Three days," he answered and Rose gasped.

"What will happen to the Stone, Sir?" Rose asked him, getting back to the point. "And Quirrell, he turned to ash? I did that."

"The Stone has been destroyed," he answered her fist question.

"But then what will happen to your friend, Nicolas Flamel?" she asked with sympathy.

"Oh, you know about Nicolas?" Dumbledore, sounding delighted at her knowledge of the man.

"He's mentioned on your chocolate frog card. After weeks of studying and trying to look him up that's how we found out about him," she told him sheepishly. Dumbledore eyes gave a twinkle of mirth.

"Well, to answer your question, Nicolas and I had a little chat and came to an understanding that it was for the best," he explained.

"But, that means he and his wife will die, won't they?" As Dumbledore explained what had become of the Stone, Rose suddenly felt a pang of sadness at the knowledge that Nicolas Flamel, Dumbledore's friend, would die as a result. But Dumbledore, clearly touched by her concern, reassured her that.

"They have enough Elixir left to set their affairs in order and, yes, they will die." Dumbledore smiled, watching an amazed expression come over Rose's features.

"To one as young as you, it must seem incredible, but for Nicolas and his wife Perenelle, it really is like going to sleep after a very, _very_ long day. Some even believe that death is but the next great adventure." Rose was at a loss for words.

'_But I'm sure it still must be scary to die,' _she thought, remembering the desperation to live and survive when Quirrell was about to kill her.

"Sir? _He _survived, didn't he? Even if Professor Quirrell didn't, that _monster_ is still out there somewhere. Even if the Stone is gone he'll try to find another way to come back, won't he?" she said, clutching the pristine white sheet across her lap, her eyes prickling with tears.

"Yes, he is still out there, perhaps looking for another body to share. And because he is not truly alive he can't be killed. But nevertheless, Rose, while you may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time – and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return." He noticed that his words didn't to reassure her as her shoulders trembled. "Miss Davis has told me you've been having nightmares. Would you like to tell me about them?"

Rose nodded, "There's one dream worse than all the others. It starts out wonderful; so perfect that I hope I don't have to wake up from it. My parents are alive, I'm in my bedroom on my bed and my mum is showing me how to cast a spell, and my dad is in the doorway smiling… And then it becomes a nightmare." A teardrop fell and dampened a dot on the sheet. "My dad leaves us to fight, and my mum; she takes me and hides me under the bed and tells me to stay hidden and not to make a sound. And then _he _comes, he asks where I am, but my mum won't tell him and he kills her. There's green, and then I'm staring into her eyes as she lies dead on the floor." She couldn't help the tears now, she didn't want to cry, only ever letting herself do so in front of Tracey, but she couldn't help it.

"I try not to make a sound like my mum said not to, but I can't help it. He hears me and looks under the bed, and it's no longer my mums eyes I'm looking into, but his. I scream; there's the bright green light again. And then I'm awake, and it's over." Suddenly Dumbledore seemed to find a bird outside the window very interesting, averting his eyes to give Rose some dignity, as she cried for a loss so real it was more of a memory than a dream. "And in the dungeon, Voldemort said that he only killed my mother because she tried to stop him from killing me. Just like in my dream. But why would he want to kill me in the first place, sir?" She turned to him, drying her eyes on the sheets.

"Alas, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. One day you will know, so put it in the back of your mind for now, Rose. When you are older… and I know you will hate to hear this… but when you are ready, you will know."

And Rose did hate hearing it, but she knew it would do no good to argue. Dumbledore wasn't like Hagrid. She couldn't just play innocent and bat her lashes sweetly at him and then he'd tell her.

"Can you at least tell me why Quirrell couldn't touch me?" she asked him, desperately needing _some_ explanation.

"Your mother died to save you. And if there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is _love. _He didn't realize, that love as pure and powerful as your mother's love for you, leaves behind its own mark… Not a scar," he added as he watched her start to bring her hand to the fringe that hid her scar. "This mark lives in your very skin… To have been loved so deeply, even though that person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed and ambition while sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this very reason. It was such agony to touch a person marked by so much good that it destroyed him," he told her, his eyes turning back to the bird outside as she sniffled and once more dried her eyes.

"Also, the Invisibility Cloak that I got for Christmas, do you know who sent it to me?" she asked, her eyes not completely dry and a little red from her crying.

"Your father happened to leave it in my possession and I thought you might like it. Useful things… your father used it mainly for sneaking off to the kitchen to steal food when he was here." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"Why do I feel you're a bit of a mischief-maker yourself, Professor?" Rose asked teasingly and Dumbledore gave a laugh that told her that her suspicion was probably right.

"One other thing, sir. How did I get the Stone out of the mirror?" she asked him, swearing this would be her final question.

"It was one of my more brilliant ideas, and between you and me, that's saying something. You see, only one who wanted to _find_ the Stone – but not use it – would be able to get it; otherwise they'd just see themselves drinking the Elixir of Life. My brain even surprises me sometimes…" Suddenly a dark figure lurking in the doorway caught Dumbledore's eye. "It seems you have another visitor. And I believe you owe this one an apology."

Confused, Rose turned to see Professor Snape walking towards them. She looked away, ashamed as Snape grew closer.

"Potter," Snape greeted as he arrived at her bedside.

"Well then, I'm sure you two have things to discuss so I'll leave you to it." Dumbledore smiled cheerfully. Neither Snape nor Rose looked the least bit comfortable with the prospect of being left alone with each other, but before either of them could argue, Dumbledore was already walking away.

"I'm sorry for accusing you of trying to steal the Stone and killing me, Professor," Rose spoke first after an awkward silence.

"Yes, well-" Snape coughed.

"Accusing my mum's best friend… I'm terrible. I just assumed that because my dad tormented you in school that you would want to get back at him through me, I thought you hated me because of him." Snape paled at her knowledge of his past. "He was awful to you, I'm so sorry for what he did. But I promise you I will never be like that. Though I'm sure he must have had some redeeming qualities if my mother married him instead of you."

Snape felt as if a knife had pierced his heart from Rose's poorly chosen words as she rambled on, apologizing for the cruelty he'd suffered at the hands of her father and his friends. Finally, he raised a hand to silence her. "Enough, Potter!" he interrupted her, sighing heavily before collecting his cool composure.

"Thank you for trying to protect me from Quirrell," Rose rushed in before he could silence her again, staring shyly up at him with big green eyes that had the power to make him weak. She really was the spitting image of her mother, except for those glasses. It seemed she'd inherited James's poor eyesight.

"I will not lie, I hate your father and do not believe I could ever have forgiven him. But I cared for your mother very deeply, and I'm sure she would never forgive me for letting anything befall you if I could prevent it," he told her. It didn't appear that she knew Lily had ended their friendship years before her own death. For now he would keep the truth of their broken relationship and pretend that in the end Lily and he had still been friends, not for Rose's sake, but for his own selfish delusion.

"Oh please, Madame Pomfrey, just five minutes," Rose begged the woman.

"Absolutely not." Madam Pomfrey was a very kind woman, but she was also a very strict one who took the rest and recovery of her patients very seriously.

"But you let Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape in…"

"Well, of course I did, they're professors, quite different. You, little miss, need your _rest_," the woman said as she tucked the sheets around the child.

"But I _am_ resting. I'm lying down and everything. Please, Madame Pomfrey…" Rose practically whined, very unlike herself to do so.

"Oh, very well. But five minutes and no longer." Madame Pomfrey gave in with a sigh before letting Ron, Hermione and Tracey into the hospital wing from where they had been waiting outside.

"_Rose!" _The three shouted her name.

"Ow, Tracey, I'm still really sore," Rose hissed as her friend flung herself onto her, wrapping her into a painful embrace.

"Serves you right, going off like that in the middle of the night, nearly getting yourself killed! Do you know how worried I was?" Tracey reprimanded her with no mercy as she pulled back from the still-injured girl. But Rose noticed the glisten in the blonde's eyes as the girl held back her tears and smiled, pleased to know she had such a good friend.

"Oh, Rose, we were sure you weren't going to make it. Dumbledore was so worried," Hermione sniffed, and Rose patted the other side of the bed for her to sit, opposite Tracey. The bushy-haired girl didn't hesitate to run around and take her seat, hugging Rose far more gently than Tracey had.

"And what about you two?" Rose asked with concern, looking back over Hermione and Ron, noticing their own healing cuts and bruises.

"Never better," Hermione assured her, and Ron nodded in agreement.

"The whole school is talking. So tell us, what _really _happened?" said Ron, taking a seat on the bed next to his friends.

So Rose told them everything; Quirrell, the mirror, the Stone, and worst of all, Voldemort. Ron, and Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped at all the right places and their expressions were priceless, while Tracey was a lot more reserved. And when Rose told them all about what was under Quirrell's turban, Hermione gave a scream that was close to the one Rose had given when she had seen it for herself.

"So the Stone is gone and Flamel and his wife are just going to _die _now?" Tracey said incredulously.

"I had the same reaction. But according to Dumbledore, 'death is but the next great adventure'." Rose shrugged.

"Draco always says the man is off his rocker." Tracey gave a laugh that Rose joined in on. "Speaking of Draco, he's barely left your side while you've been out cold. It's only now that you're conscious he doesn't dare step foot near here, the shy coward." Tracey rolled her eyes, and Rose had a hard time believing her at first until Hermione and Ron confirmed it. "There is also no way I'm letting you miss the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and our house won, of course." Tracey smiled, smug and proud, while Ron and Hermione both looked less than pleased.

"All right, you've had nearly fifteen minutes, now all three of you, OUT!" Madam Pomfrey said firmly as she came over, leaving no room for arguments or any more begging.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow," Rose promised, waving as her friends left.

"I want to go to the feast. I can, can't I?" Rose asked the next morning, feeling much better after a good night's sleep.

"Professor Dumbledore says you are allowed to go," Madam Pomfrey said, approving her discharge. "You also have another visitor."

Rose perked up. She hated not seeing anyone and being useless in bed with nothing to do. "Who is it?" Rose asked, sounding excited. Her smiled grew when she saw Hagrid sidling though the door.

"Hagrid!" Rose greeted him cheerfully, so happy to see him, but that smile turned to a frown when she saw the somber face he was wearing.

Taking a seat next to Rose, the bed creaked and sank under his weight, he then took one look at her before bursting into tears, giving Rose a fright as she had never seen him like this before, and most of all, she hated to see her friend cry. "It's-all-my-rudy-fault!" he sobbed hysterically, throwing his head back before dropping his face in his hands.

'_What should I do?' _Rose thought helplessly, as she watched Hagrid shake with grief and remorse. It was near-heartbreaking for her to see him like this.

"I told the evil git how ter get past Fluffy! I told him! It was the only thing he didn't know, an' I told him! Yeh could've died! And all fer a bloody dragon egg! I'll never drink again! I should be chucked out an' made ter live as a Muggle!"

Finally, Rose had had enough, "Hagrid!" she cried, getting his attention. Hagrid flinched at her harsh tone and looked up, teaspoon-sized tears leaking from his face and into his beard, which absorbed it all like a sponge. Rose wouldn't have been surprised if he'd have to wring it out afterwards. "This wasn't your fault. He would have found out somehow, this is You-Know-Who we're talking about, he would have found out, even if you hadn't told him," she said softly, patting his paw of a hand.

"Yeh could've died!" he started to sob again, and Rose did something that shocked them both. She slapped Hagrid. Not hard, but just enough to shock him and stop his crying.

"Sorry. I didn't like doing that, but I think you needed it," Rose apologized, and Hagrid just nodded his head dumbly in agreement. "I could've died, you're right. But I _didn't _die. I'm right here and I want you to cheer up. We saved the Stone, Hagrid, it's gone, he can't use it," she reassured him, watching with a little disgust as Hagrid wiped his nose on the back his hand, leaving a trail of snot across it. "How about you have a Chocolate Frog, I've got loads of them, and eating some always cheers me up…?" Rose offered him with a smile.

"That reminds me. I've got yeh a present," he told her.

"It's not a stoat sandwich, is it? No offense, Hagrid, but I don't know how you haven't broken all of your teeth on one yet," Rose asked anxiously, smiling even wider when she heard, at last, Hagrid chuckling. It was a weak sound but it was something.

"Nah. Dumbledore actually gave me the day off yesterday ter fix it up fer yeh. 'Course, I still think he should of sacked me instead. Anyway, got yeh this…" He then took something out from his coat and put it in her lap. Looking down, Rose saw that he had given her a handsome, leather-covered book. Opening it, Rose gasped at all the wizard photos. Smiling and waving at her from every page were her mother and father, ranging from all different ages and in different places. But the one that really got to her was one of them holding her as a baby between them, her mother kissing her hand and waving it at the camera for her. "Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer photos… D'yeh like it?"

She didn't like it, she loved it, and no words could ever express how grateful she was to now have these photos, or what it meant to her.

After one last check up from Madame Pomfrey, Rose smoothed down her uniform skirt and straightened her Slytherin robes, fixing her hair, before at long last leaving to make her way down to end-of-year feast. And because Madame Pomfrey had insisted on taking the time to examine her one last time, the Great Hall was already full when she arrived.

The whole place was decked out in the Slytherin colors of green and silver to celebrate her house's win. It was a great feeling to know that for her very first year at Hogwarts it was her house that had one. Even if it was for the seventh year in a row.

The moment she walked into the Hall there was a sudden hush, before everyone yet again started to talk loudly all at once. Putting on a smile, Rose walked down the rows to her own table where Tracey was waving her over and calling her name. Taking a seat between Tracey and Daphne, Rose tried to ignore Draco's gloating about their win from just across from her at the table as she talked with her blonde friend.

Fortunately enough, when Dumbledore walked in, those who had been standing just to get a look at her sat back down, and Draco had quieted, as had everyone else to give all their attention to the headmaster.

"Another year has gone, and what a year it's been!" Dumbledore said cheerfully, looking out into the sea of students before him. "Hopefully all of your heads are a bit fuller with knowledge then they were before… and you have the whole summer to get them nice and empty before next year starts," he told them, and Rose heard Draco whisper '_mad as a hatter he is' _to Theodore beside him who was sat across from Daphne. "Now as I understand it, the House Cup needs awarding, and the points stand thus; in fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and ten points; Ravenclaw, had three hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, three hundred and sixty-nine points."

Rose stood with everyone else at the Slytherin table; Draco was even banging his goblet on it. Rose sent a look over to Hermione and Ron at the Gryffindor table, pleased when they returned her small smiles that told her there weren't any hard feelings.

"Yes, yes, well done Slytherin, well done Slytherin… However, recent events must be taken into account," added Dumbledore. Rose and the rest of the Slytherins' smiles faded, confused, as they lowered themselves all back to their benches. Confused and worrisome murmurs were spoken to one another. "I have a few last minute points to award… First to Miss Rose Potter." The Room went deadly quiet and all eyes were on her. "For outstanding courage, I award Slytherin fifty-five points." Her table broke out in cheers again as she got hugs from the girls and nods from the boys, all smiling at her with something she thought she might never have seen from any of them besides Tracey. Acceptance. Silence came again but Dumbledore wasn't finished.

"Second to Mr. Ronald Weasley, for the best played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor fifty-five points." Turning with a smile to the Gryffindor table, Rose clapped with everyone else as she watched Ron turn pink at the ears.

"My brother, you know! My own youngest brother got past McGonagall's giant chess set!" Rose heard Percy telling the other prefects at his table with pride.

Dumbledore raised his hand and there was silence again, "Third to Miss Hermione Granger… for the use of cool logic in the face of danger, I award Gryffindor House fifty-five points." Embarrassed, Hermione covered her face with her hands, but Rose caught a glimpse of her smile as the cheers from the Gryffindor table seemed to make the stars of the enchanted ceiling above them quiver.

"And lastly…" The room went quiet as Dumbledore started to speak again. "There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal to of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but just as much, or even more so, to stand up to your friends. I therefore award fifteen points to Miss Neveah Longbottom." The noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table was deafening, and as Rose watched Neveah get swarmed and praised, she did the math in her head. With the added points, Gryffindor had now won by a point. One single point. Turning to take in the reaction of the rest of her fellow Slytherin's, Rose couldn't help but feel a little bad. It was still a disappointment to lose, no matter what house someone was in. Draco wore the best expression; looking stunned and horrified as he stared past her at the Gryffindors, and as those respectable Slytherins stood to clap in respective acknowledgment, he slumped and pouted in his seat.

"There's always next year, Draco," she told him with a smile.

"But it was one point! One bloody point! " he said with an exaggerated fake sob, before burying his face in his arms.

Rolling her eyes, Rose joined everyone else once more in the cheers and celebration as the Slytherin banners changed to that of ones with the Gryffindor crest and colors. Looking up at the high table with the Professors, she watched as Snape shook hands with Professor McGonagall, wearing a terribly fake smile that made Rose cringe. It almost looked painful. When their eyes met it was obvious that something had changed, there was an understanding between them as they had something in common. Lily. Looking to Hagrid, he gave her a smile as he stood, clapping for Gryffindor. Even if her house hadn't won, tonight was a night she would never forget.

If it hadn't been for Tracey reminding her, Rose would have forgotten that the results of their exams were coming. When they arrived, Rose jumped for joy to see such high marks. And after talking with Hermione she discovered, along with her and Tracey, that she had some of the top results of that year. And all Rose could think about was the pride she hoped her mother and father would feel for her amazing grades. She had worked really hard to earn them, and she couldn't help feeling proud of herself, and thankful for Tracey and Hermione's help with her studying.

Then, their wardrobes were empty and all their things packed away in their trunks. And as Rose sat on her bed waiting for Tracey to finish putting the last of her things away, she finished writing her last journal entry for the school year in the journal her aunt had sent her for Christmas. When written down, however, her entries were more like letters to her parents.

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_Things didn't turn out how I expected but that's all right._ _I've made really great friends, I've got good marks, and went on an adventure trying to protect the Stone. And the end-of-year feast was amazing. My house didn't win, but from what I read in your journal, Mum, Dad would have been happy to hear that Slytherin lost, but at least we were second running._

_I wish you guys were here so I could tell you about my year in person, but this journal helps. I really love Hogwarts already, and I can't wait for next year. As always, I promise you I'll make you proud of me._

_Tracey's finished packing so I have to go now, but I'll write to you either on the train or when I get back to the Dursley's._

_Love your daughter,_

_Rose._

"You ready, Rose?" Closing her journal and locking it, Rose nodded.

At the door of the Great Hall, Hagrid was there, waiting to bring them down to the fleet of boats that would take them across the lake. As they sailed across, Rose and Tracey laughed as they saw the Giant Squid bring one of its tentacles up out of the water in what appeared to be a wave goodbye. Most of the Slytherins who had seen the beast swimming past the windows of their common room and dorms waved back to it.

As everyone was boarding the Hogwarts Express there was talking and laughter. Tracey sat with Rose, Hermione and Ron on the train, watching the green countryside and Muggle towns go by in a blur, and eating Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. They conversed about the months they had just spent at school, and their plans for the summer that they would have with their families, and Rose plastered on a fake smile, not wanting any of her friends to worry about her.

Soon, as they got closer and closer to London, the girls kicked Ron out to guard the door as they changed out of their wizard robes and school uniform into Muggle clothes. This time, there was no Draco to interrupt and get petrified. In fact, Rose had barely seen or spoken at all to the boy since she got out of the hospital wing. When they were done, they let Ron have the compartment to change.

Finally, they pulled into Platform nine and three-quarters at Kings Cross station. There was a only guard by the barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they wouldn't attract attention if a whole bunch of them suddenly burst out through a solid wall. Rose could still remember the shock of seeing the twins go through the barrier the first time. Ron, Rose and Tracey went out together with Hermione falling behind them with Neveah.

"Tracey, darling!" a French accented voice cried. Looking around, Rose saw a smiling woman with the same golden, dirty-blond hair as Tracey make her way towards them.

"Mum!" cried Tracey, running over to the woman and wrapping her arms around her in a hug. The woman pulled back after a minute and kissed both of her daughter's cheeks and then her forehead, her gaze loving as she looked down at her with a smile. Then her eyes moved to Rose.

"Mum, this is my best friend, Rose. I told you and Dad about her in my letters," Tracey said when she noticed where her mother's gaze had fallen.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Rose smiled, holding out her hand to the woman, who looked at it before taking it with a smile.

"Clemance Davis. It's a pleasure to meet the friend my daughter always mentions," the woman said cheerfully, her accent not as thick as Rose thought it had first sounded.

"Don't forget to write me this summer, Rose," Tracey said, and after Rose had reassured her that she had every intention of writing to her friend, they shared a quick hug before Tracey and her mother were on their way.

"Potter!" turning as she was called, Rose groaned as she saw Draco make his way out from the barrier and towards them.

"Thank you for coming to visit me when I was in the hospital. Tracey told me," Rose said, hoping that if she started off the conversation with positivity, Draco would find it in himself to be civil.

"Yes, well-" he muttered, averting his eyes, his cheeks pink.

"Either way, I thought since you refused our invitation to come to our home for the Christmas holidays you would consider visiting during the summer," said Draco to her and Rose sighed, for he might have asked nicer than he had at school but she still didn't think she would be comfortable around his family.

"I don't know, Draco-"

Before she could really refuse Draco cut her sentence off, "Well, can you think about it at least. I'll send you an owl." And before Rose could argue he was running off into the crowd of Muggles towards a blond couple who couldn't look more disgusted as they avoided the people clambering around them.

"Rose Potter!" a voice squealed, and Rose saw that it was little Ginny Weasley with her mother, pointing a finger at her.

"Shush, Ginny, it's rude to point," Mrs. Weasley scolded before turning to smile down at her son and his friends. "Busy year?" she asked.

"A very busy year. And thank you so much for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley," Rose said, glad to properly thank the woman.

"Oh, it was nothing really, dear, but I'm glad you liked them." Rose had liked them. The jumper had become her favorite thing to wear, it was soft and warm and so very comfortable.

"Rose, are you ready?" It was Aunt Petunia, looking impatient as she waited for them to finish their conversation. Behind her, Uncle Vernon stood looking furious at her nerve of carrying a caged owl in a station full of _normal_ people. Next to him stood Dudley, looking terrified, and for effect Rose grinned maliciously.

"You must be Rose's family," said Mrs. Weasley, with the intention of an introduction.

"In a matter of speaking we are," Uncle Vernon answered her, and Rose glared at him. "Hurry up, girl, we haven't got all day, you know!" he snapped at Rose, and she itched to hex him as he walked away. Mrs. Weasley, meanwhile, couldn't believe someone could be so unpleasant.

"I apologize for my husband's rudeness. I'm Rose's aunt, Petunia Dursley." Rose watched, amazed as her aunt introduced her self coldly, not exactly looking happy to be in this position.

"That's quite all right," said Mrs. Weasley, nodding with understanding.

"Hurry along now, Rose, you know how impatient you uncle is." Oh Rose knew how impatient he was, all right. With a nod, she watched her aunt turn to follow her husband and son.

"I hope you have a – uh – good summer, Rose," said Hermione, clearly genuinely wishing it as she waited for her parents, looking more than a little worried about her friend. Her relatives seemed like terrible people. Hermione just didn't know how terrible they actually were.

"Oh, I'm going to have a great summer," Rose said, surprising Hermione as she turned around, that malicious smirk she had given Dudley back on her face. "_They _don't even know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have _a lot _of _fun _with Dudley this summer…"

Ron and Hermione shivered. Their friend was definitely a Slytherin.

END OF YEAR ONE

** W****ith out my Beta Maggie and all my readers and reviewers I would not have gotten to the end of the first year. So thank you everyone for every comment and every favorite.**

**At long last we have come to the end of the first year. Soon I hope to post the beginning of the second. The next year will sure to be interesting and waving off the path a bit more from the books then the first year.  
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**And because this is the very last chapter I hope to get a lot of reviews letting me know what you thought about the whole year and your experience reading. I love all of you so much.  
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**Thank you everyone for staying with me this far.  
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**Rose. L. Potter  
**


	27. SECOND YEAR IS HERE

SECOND YEAR HAS BEEN POSTED. THE FIRST CHAPTER NOW AWAITS YOU!


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